World of the Dead
by Rassilon001
Summary: Follow the saga as the survivors of Fujimi High School, and their newfound friends, attempt to survive and find their place in a world that is growing ever more dangerous.
1. 00  Prolouge

**Disclaimer:  
**I do not own High School of the Dead, in either of its glorious manga or anime forms. It belongs to Madhouse and Yen Press, who are probably a lot  
richer (and undoubtedly a lot smarter) than I shall ever be. I do own the original characters contained herein, however, for what little value they are  
worth. Which is probably nothing.

**Summary:  
**The World is dying, and the Dead have risen. You've followed the story since the beginning. Now follow the saga as the survivors of Fujimi High  
School, and their newfound friends, attempt to survive and find their place in a world that is growing ever more dangerous. Takes place about a  
week or so after events in the manga at the police station, though it is based primarily upon the anime version. Rated R for zombie violence, some  
death, light and heavy cursing, and some sexual situations. Do not enter expecting a happy ending. No one will be spared. And on that note, enjoy.

**Special Thanks:  
**Many thanks goes to James Mirachi, aka JM1681, for serving as my beta reader for this story, a first for me. Not only did he catch innumerable tiny  
grammatical and spelling errors that could've interrupted the story flow, he also proved an excellent sounding board for plot elements. And fortunately  
for me, is something of a gun otaku himself, so was most helpful in the element of weapons which I am most lacking.

**Addendum:**  
Following its vast success and the input of reviewers, I've decided to scrap the original Chapter Eight and continue with a NEW story from where  
Chapter Seven ends. New Stories, New Characters, More Violence, More Sexuality and, of course, your favorite High School of the Dead characters.  
Expect the latest chapter out sometime in late August.


	2. 01  Palor Mortis

**_I – Pallor Mortis_**

"_Which of us were fortunate, who can tell?  
__For you there is silence and cold twilight  
__drooping in awful desolation over those  
__motionless lands. For us sunlight and the  
__sound of women's voices, song and hope and  
__laughter, despair, gaiety, love – life_."

- **Richard Aldington**.

* * *

**Koto Ward, Tokyo, Japan  
****1835 hours,  
****Z Day + 17**

The streets of Tokyo's Koto Ward were quiet.

Too quiet.

Then a rumbling filled the air. And the streets were suddenly much too loud instead of much too quiet. Dull, lifeless eyes of the cities only remaining occupants turned towards the sound, the dormant part of their brains failing to recognize it until the black military humvee came barreling down the street, crashing into half of them and splattering them all across the bleak landscape. Their blood staining the road dark crimson.

From within the humvee, more noise erupted in the form of a heated argument.

"Admit it!"

"Look I'm just saying...!"

"Admit it! Admit it! Admit it!"

"Okay I admit it! Going to Yokota Air Base wasn't the best of plans!"

"You called that a plan? That was the dumbest thing we've ever done!"

"We got a new ride out of it, didn't we?"

"And some ammo!"

"Shuttup, fatty! When I want your opinion I'll give it to you!"

"Uhm, everyone..."

"There is no need for such blatant hostility."

"Go to hell, ice queen!"

"Perhaps you would care to prepare the way for me?"

"Oh stop being such a prissy little...!"

"Shut up all of you this isn't going to help us at all!"

"Look Fearless Leader...!"

"Hey now, please don't fight..."

"Sensei!"

Startled out of her half-hearted attempts to placate the high school students in her care, Shizuka snapped her eyes back onto the road moments before the humvee crashed into an overturned SUV, swerving hard to avoid it and crashing hard over the dead bodies of its former occupants. Ignoring the sickening crunch under the wheels by virtue of long experience, she pressed down on the accelerator and continued on, not even looking back as they cut through the near-empty streets of Tokyo. Their destination lay before them, though it was a ways off yet.

Takashi leaned over the roof to poke his head down into the middle of the SUV, where most of the others were. Due to size constraints, he and Saeko were hanging on to the rooftop. "How much further?" he asked, maintaining an iron grip on the side of the vehicle all the while.

Kohta shrugged in response to his question, and turned to their resident navigator, who was currently busy trying to adjust her glasses, which had nearly been dislodged by the sudden turn of the humvee. Pushing them up her nose with a firm movement, Saya quickly rummaged through the backseats for the map they were using. Moments later it appeared right under her nose, and she glanced up. Alice was holding it out to her, a cheerful smile on her face.

Patting the redheaded girl on her head, Saya snapped open the map and perused it, recalling in perfect detail their route since they'd last stopped for fuel and gotten the map from the broken down gas station. Having total recall definitely helped, but to be helpful to her less-gifted associates she'd also taken a marker and was using it to trace their route. She added an extra line to show their progress, and did a quick calculation in her mind based on their current speed.

Turning up to where Takashi was still waiting, she said "About seventeen minutes 'til the docks."

Nodding, Takashi climbed back up and peered over towards the horizon. No sign of Them anywhere on the road, but that could change at any moment. Idly he glanced over at Saeko, who was watching with the keen view of a predator, hand resting on the hilt of her katana.

Seeing her so composed helped recover some of his own strength, and he shifted the shotgun in his grip. This way it would be ready to move it into either a firing position or a clubbing position, whichever was required, at a moment's notice.

Their plan was a simple one. After the disaster at the evacuation sight and the fiasco trying to make their way to a military base, the survivors of Fujimi High had come up with a much simpler plan. Based on the idea that They lacked coordination and agility and thus, couldn't swim. So they would head to the coast, find a boat, and get the hell away from the island of Japan. At least for a while. They could hug the coast at a safe distance (presumably, where the water was deeper than the tallest one of Them) and wait to come up with a better plan.

That last part always stuck in the back of Takashi's mind like a rotten tooth he couldn't quite pull out, but he didn't have anything else he could think of right now. None of them did.

No one mentioned their families either. They'd missed the rendevuez with the Takagi's, if they were still alive, there was no way to get in touch with them anymore. No one had been at the Komuro residence, dead or otherwise, and they'd had even worse luck finding the Miyamoto's. If things were even half as bad in the rest of the world as they were here, there was no way of knowing if their family abroad were anymore safe than they. At this point, they could've very easily been the last people left alive in the world.

Takashi gave a heavy sigh as his thoughts drifted down dark roads. Right now, the lone group of seven...

A sharp bark interrupted his thoughts, as if the little white animal had been reading them, and he glanced down to see Zeke standing with his paws on the window, perhaps barking at something shiny passing by that had caught his eye.

Lone group of _eight_, he corrected himself, were all each other had in this brave new world.

He hoped it was enough.

* * *

"Which way?" asked Shizuka, tightly gripping the steering wheel as she eased up on the accelerator.

"Keep going straight then take the next turn off," Saya replied, glancing down at the map to make doubly sure. "It's along the main highway, should be faster than any short cuts."

Kohta peered over her shoulder. "It looks like little more than half a click after that to the docks."

"Half a click?" she asked sarcastically. "This isn't Vietnam."

"Just trying to get psyched up," he replied, even as he sat back morosely in his seat, clutching his AR-10 to his chest like it was a security blanket. Then again, for someone like Kohta it probably was. Saya resisted the urge to roll her eyes and checked the map again. They were getting closer to the docks.

Unfortunately, brilliant though their plan was, on an island like Japan, it wasn't completely beyond the scope of rational thought that others would try the same thing. The last half-mile or so to the coastline they encountered heavy resistance on the roads, abandoned cars and the odd motorcycle, and later still an overturned oil tanker. It didn't appear to be leaking, thankfully, but it was blocking the road almost completely. No way they could shift it aside or get the humvee through. Saeko could practically see the docks, however. If it was within sight, it was within walking distance. Which was good, because the sun was continuing to set, painting the sky dull, muted reds and dark purples on the horizon. Soon enough those colors would give way to pitch black, and none of them had any desire to be caught out in the open when they lost sight of one another.

The night was Their time.

Shizuka brought their borrowed vehicle to a stop on the side of the road, just shy of the low wall of overturned and abandoned vehicles. "Last stop," she announced unnecessarily.

As quietly as possible, but with as much speed and efficiency as they dared, the team unloaded the vehicle and grabbed what supplies they had, as well as weapons. Saeko took point, sword resting at her side as she surveyed the road before them for signs of survivors or more of Them. Kohta was burdened with most of the packs, since he'd had the foresight to grab an army rangers backpack when they'd escaped the military base. Into it they loaded most of their rations, distributing their ammo and reloading their weapons.

Takashi was loading two shells into his Beneli, and glanced back to see Alice packing a smaller backpack with some of the supplies as well, and allowed himself a small smile. Everyone in the group tried to shield the little girl from the responsibilities of survival that'd been thrust upon them, but she had been equally determined to carry her own weight. A phrase Kohta had found particularly amusing.

"In that case," he'd once said to her, "Since Alice-chan weighs so little, we'll have you do the little things, alright?"

She had several extra magazines in her pockets, ready to swap them out with Kohta's at a moment's notice. And in her own tiny backpack she had the maps and other lightweight objects, like spare clothes.

Shizuka shrugged a medical kit over her shoulder, letting it rest comfortably against her hip. This carried a role almost more vital than their meager food. Since the nuclear blast had gone off high over Tokyo, there had been radiation falling to Earth, almost as deadly as the walking dead and much harder to combat. They'd all been inoculated during their brief stay at Yokota Air Base, but they needed the extra medicine in case things got worse.

At this point, they'd long since given up hope of things getting better.

As if karma was following their story, at the moment Saya swung her legs out of the vehicle and moved to hop out. Kohta had been holding the door open in what he hoped was a gentlemanly fashion (she hardly even noticed), but her skirt's frilly hem caught on the seatbelt awkwardly, and she glanced up in alarm.

"Wai-..!"

Kohta ignorantly slammed the door shut behind her, and in an instant, her dress ripped right down the middle, a massive segment clinging to the end like a limp tail on the ground. And the pudgy otaku's eyes widened in horror as he realized the very, very massive blunder he'd just made.

"I-I-I...!"

Takashi winced in sympathy, even as he got an eyeful of Saya's long legs through the long gash in her skirt, and the briefest glimpse of something purple and frilly. He didn't look too long or hard though, and not just because Saya probably would've killed him for it. Or that the other girls were watching. Instead he was thinking, somewhat absurdly, of a joke he'd heard shortly before the end had come to his High School days.

What did the five fingers say to the face?

**Slap!**

Kohta Hirano staggered backwards under the force of the blow, which nearly knocked his glasses clean off his face.

"Uhm... gomen nasai?" he suggested again tentatively, still clutching his red cheek.

Amber orbs glared down at him, and in his mind's eye, Takagi-sama loomed over him like a fiercesome goddess with eyes of fire and a booming voice. In reality however, she was relatively quiet as she simply declared, "jacket."

"Jacket?"

She nodded. "Jacket. Now," she added pointedly, holding out her hand.

Realizing her request was for his own article of clothing, Kohta sheepishly shrugged off his flak vest and unzipped his jacket, offering it to her. She snatched it out of his hands as the rest watched with various amused expressions. Saya fumed angrily as she wrapped his jacket around her waist and knotted the sleeves together in front to form a makeshift skirt down the back of her legs. It wasn't elegant but it kept her decent, at least until a replacement could be found. Meanwhile Kohta strapped back on his flak vest over his white t-shirt. It chaffed a little without the jacket as padding but he figured he could survive a few hours like this.

"Wait a minute, where's the key?" asked Rei, as she rummaged through the backseats of the vehicle. "Where'd the boat key go?"

"I thought you had it," said Takashi with a frown, leaning over to assist her. In the dim light though, it was difficult to see much of anything.

"Bakas," muttered Saya, grabbing their attention as she tugged at the cord around her neck. Hanging from the end of a makeshift necklace was the boat key in question. It glinted briefly in the fading light. "I took it from Rei while she was sleeping. It's safer with me anyway."

Takashi nodded. "Fine, keep to the middle with Alice-chan and Shizuka-sensei," he instructed, loading a final shell into his shotgun and priming it as he'd been instructed. The weight felt good in his hands. Behind him, he could hear Kohta and Rei also arming themselves. They left the keys to the humvee inside on the dashboard, with the vague notion that if someone else came across it, and needed it, they could have it.

They'd survived as long as they had partly through a mixture of skill, luck, and the kindness of others. No sense screwing other survivors. The last thing they wanted to have to deal with was bad universal karma.

"Everyone stay close together and keep as quiet as possible. Me, Rei, Saeko in the front. Kohta, you bring up the rear, watch our backs. Let's avoid fighting if we can help it. We use guns only if absolutely necessary. Alright?"

Everyone nodded.

He stepped forwards along the broken road leading down to the bay. "Let's go."

* * *

Proceeding down to the docks themselves was slow going, but that was due to obstructions in the way more than anything else. Cars were overturned and what was easily the biggest pile-up any of them had ever seen. It took them a good deal of time just to climb up and over all of them just to reach the pier. More than once they had to stop and offer help to Alice, whose shorter limbs made climbing harder on. But they made good time as they reached the docks. Thankfully, there were no sign of Them to be found, but equally so, there were few ships still tethered in place. Most had been moved, no doubt by owners or thieves with similar intentions.

"Saya-san," whispered Takashi, falling back a bit to her side. "What was the ID on that key again?"

She tugged at her collar, mindful of how quiet they were being, and peered through her glasses at the tag attached to the key. "S.S. Mimei, TRSK55AZ."

"And didn't the owner say it was white?" asked Kohta, still watching the street from which they'd came, in case anyone or anything was following.

"Most of the boats are white, baka," retorted Saya with a vaguely dignified snort. "We're looking for a luxury yacht. So, big. Maybe twenty or so feet long."

Shizuka pointed. "There's some larger ships down that way," she said softly.

"Let's move," replied Takashi, and the group was off again down the long pier. Movement here was slower than before, and it didn't seem to help much. Every step they took on the pier made a loud creak against the wood. They still hadn't spotted any of Them, but it was only a matter of time before the noise attracted somebody. Or something.

As if on cue, the next boat they passed, an overturned sailing ship, had something gray and moving caught in its sails, leaning against the dock. None of them had any desire to venture too close, but the movement of the undead sailor banging against the mast was drawing attention, so Saeko beckoned Rei and the two ladies moved in closer. Takashi shifted his position, blocking Alice's view. Rei used the bayonet tip of her weapon to push aside the sails and expose the zombie's face. Unable to see them, it continued to lash out angrily, even as Saeko deftly swung her own weapon and decapitated it in one smooth motion, sending its head into the ocean to sink to the bottom.

No words were spoken. By this time, they were all used to it.

Alice interrupted them, pointing excitedly, even as she kept her voice down. "There! Mimei!"

The others glanced up, even as Saeko flicked the blood from her weapon, and confirmed, just two spots down was the ship they were looking for. The name was painted in bright blue across the aft, and below, the registry number of the ship was easy to spot. And what a ship it was. It looked almost big enough to be a boat house, and certainly big enough for the eight of them. And even better, while it had a motor, and hopefully a working one, it also had a mast and a sail laying parallel across the boat. They could set it up and use the wind and the waves to move the Mimei if they really had to.

The ship was attached to the docks by a thick chain and a heavy lock. Marks on the chain and the lock indicated someone had tried to steal it, but evidently lacked the tools. Thankful for small mercies, Saya moved quickly to unlock their salvation. As usual, Takashi took quick command of the situation.

"Everyone wait here for a moment, I want to check this thing out first," he said, shouldering his shotgun and grabbing a nearby pole as a makeshift club.

"I'll come with you," offered Saeko, but Takashi held up a hand to stop her.

"No, your sword's no good in close quarters. Stay out here, guard the others."

The purple-haired beauty nodded, hand resting on the hilt of her blade as Takashi climbed onto the Mimei and opened the hatch leading down into its below deck level. A pungent, foul odor reached his nostrils, but he stubbornly ignored it. It didn't quite smell like death either. Anyone who had lived past Day One had come to recognize that smell near instantly. It was very distinct.

"Hello?" he called out softly, his fingers tightening around his makeshift club. No response came from within.

All the same, he checked every part of the cabin, and eventually found the source of the smell. Not a body, dead, undead, or otherwise, just some rotten food. Evidently the owner hadn't bothered to clean up after his last voyage. Given the current state of the world, that was likely some time ago. Grabbing it up, Takashi quickly hurled it over the side of the boat and into the water, then signaled the all clear to his teammates with a wave of his arm. The yacht was perfect. It had everything they needed.

"Alright, everyone load up. Saeko, stay here, Kohta, try and get into a good position to cover us. Saya, try and see if the motor is operational, just in case," he said.

Rei climbed up onto the deck and unhooked her M1A Rifle, setting it down by the railing so it wouldn't be in the way. The strap was handy when she didn't want to be disarmed but right now it was a hindrance as she clambered onto the deck and tried to lift up the mast. It was heavier than it looked, however.

"Takashi, give me a hand with this. We may need it, and in any case, it's better up out of the way."

"Agreed," he added a hand to her, pushing up on the heavy metal mast and mindful not to step on the sails and rip them. Alice helped also closer to the base of the mast, and after a moment, found how to lock it into place while Takashi and Rei held it upright.

Two pink pigtails popped up from under the deck as Saya announced "Bad news."

Everyone gathered round as she held up a burnt engine part that, frankly, none of them knew what to do with. "It's fried," she stated unnecessarily. "The EMP must've hit here as well. Probably while it was still running."

"Any chance it can be repaired?" Takashi asked. He wasn't an expert but he trusted Saya's opinion in such matters.

She hmm-ed in thought, free hand lifting up to wave in a so-so fashion. "Not fully I don't think, but if we can get a replacement for this piece, we should be able to at least turn it on for a few hours. There's still plenty of gas in here."

"Oh great, good thing I was carrying a spare engine part in my back pocket," he grumbled sarcastically, running a hand through unruly black locks.

Saya frowned. "We passed an outing store on the way here, at the edge of the docks," she reminded him pointedly. "I'll just go and see if they have one."

"Maybe we can pick up some gear too," added Rei thoughtfully, as she buckled back on her rifle. "More food or something. It couldn't hurt to take a look."

Takashi considered this, taking a deep breath, and considered their options. One the one hand, they could pack up now, use the sail, and the winds and the waves to get them away from the docks and at least a fair distance out to sea. But if the winds died, or a storm came up, they'd have no way to control the ship. And that was even assuming they could learn how to work the sails. And that the sails didn't rip or tear.

It was a lot of ifs. And they hadn't survived this long by hoping for the best, but being prepared for the worst.

"Okay, Hirano-kun, Saeko-san," he declared. "You two-"

"Can stay and watch the ship," muttered Saya as she jumped off the yacht and onto the docks, hands planted on her hips. Takashi recognized the gesture. It was her I'm-planning-to-win-this-argument stance. "I'm coming with you, Takashi. After all, you'll need a genius to find the right parts, won't you?"

He opened his mouth to offer up a protest, but a single look from her amber eyes stopped him cold. And he belatedly realized she was right. He wouldn't know where to start.

"Uhm," interrupted Shizuka, raising a hand like she was a student in class. An irony, given she was formerly on teacher level as the school nurse, as well as the only adult present. "Maybe I can come also? I can find additional medical supplies if the place is well stocked."

"I'm coming too! I can help carry stuff!" Alice declared as she ran over to latch onto Shizuka's hip.

Takashi frowned, hesitating. He'd rather they were somewhere safe, especially the non-combatants, but as it was, he couldn't quite say no to them. "Alright," he breathed out slowly. "But stay close to me, no wandering off. Rei?"

"Coming," she assured him.

* * *

When the EMP hit, even the simplest, everyday electronic appliances and devices were completely fried. Nevermind cars and cellphones, which crippled an already dying city, nothing that previously held an electrical charge worked, unless by some miracle it was EMP shielded or had been replaced and repaired. A difficulty in a world that was rapidly growing to be very hostile. They'd been lucky when they'd hit the Air Base, and found the old humvee, but it was doubtful they'd be so fortunate again.

So when they reached the marine store, the first order of business was opening the shut glass doors, which normally would've opened on their own with a pleasant ding as soon as it detected their approach.

A quick glance in either direction indicated no sign of Them, but they'd learned the hard way they could easily be hiding, like they'd done at Yokota during their brief stay.

"Smash the window?" Alice asked tentatively.

Takashi shook his head, shouldering his shotgun and taking a moment to try and pry the doors open with his fingers. Unsurprisingly, it didn't work. He could barely fit them between the doors, and they were pushed closed tightly. Maybe even locked. That failing, he unhooked the crowbar from his belt and jammed the sharp end between the doors, rewarded with better success this time. He gave a great heave, and slowly but surely, the doors began to part. Apparently the lock was electronic or magnetic in nature. They wouldn't stay closed without power.

Finally, the doors were completely open, and Takashi gestured for everyone to stay behind him as he entered, shotgun raised and ready. But after a wide sweep of the store, they found almost no one. Almost. Takashi found three behind the store counter, however, and almost immediately covered his mouth to keep from retching. Three bodies, very dead, not re-animated. A man, a woman, and a small boy. Each with a gunshot wound through their head. It didn't take a forensics expert to tell what had happened. A family had come here and they'd decided to take the easy way out. Or the dad had gone insane, shot his wife and kid, and then done himself in.

Takashi desperately hoped it was the former.

Feeling his stomach churn but forcing down the bile, he discreetly gestured for Shizuka to keep little Alice away from the sight, as he grabbed a nearby tarp and covered the bodies. "Rest in peace," he murmured. Behind him, Rei nodded, her entire form shivering.

Much as he wanted to go comfort her, now was not the time. They needed to go.

"Grab whatever you can," he said, voice pitched just above a whisper. "Be ready to go."

In addition to housing a large variety of boating equipment like sails and (thankfully) motors, the store seemed to function like a retail outlet, and they also had a selection of nautically-themed gear and clothes, as well as some food. Most of it was perishable but they could eat that first, save their preservables and rations for later days when things got lean.

Casting his glance over the others, he spotted Saya, already taking down a set of khaki pants to replace her ripped skirt. They weren't quite her size, since they were a men's, but she made do with a belt that tightened them around her narrow waist. Alice was grabbing some swimsuits a few aisles down, and Rei was assisting her. Shizuka joined them, and Takashi snickered as he spotted her examining herself in the mirror with a red one-piece that would never possibly fit her.

For a moment, all the burdens of leadership washed away, the world ending, their losses, their pains, and he just enjoyed a moment where he watched his close friends laugh and play, safe and sound.

* * *

Back at the SS Mimei, Kohta double-checked the sights on his rifle, lining up along the dock. Their position was strategically sound. Their undead opponents couldn't swim worth a damn, so the only way they could be attacked was along the dock itself. This guaranteed even a mass attack would be bottlenecked, and they could pick them off one by one.

At least until they ran out of ammo.

Idly he glanced down at his current partner, noting Busujima sitting on the edge of the ship cleaning her sword. The two of them were rather alike in that respect, their weapons always needed to be kept as clean as possible. Takashi and Rei usually didn't bother to clean them off until they were becoming close to uselessly dull and blood-stained before they started such, but even a minute nick or a faulty bent pin could spell the difference between life and death for the two of them.

"Think they'll be long?" he asked quietly, triple-checking the scope on his rifle. No confirmed targets yet but he wanted to be ready.

She shrugged lightly, not bothering to look up from her task. "I hope not," she replied after a moment's thought.

Idly he glanced up at the sky, using his free hand to shield his eyes from the sun's glare in the west, where it was setting. It was getting late, and he certainly hoped they'd get here soon too. Not that he was terribly thrilled about the idea of living on a boat, mind you, but it beat getting eaten alive by Them. As he was musing, a thought came to his mind, and almost without thinking a question was posed.

"Hey Busujima-sempai... I was wondering..."

A dark eyebrow arched upwards. "Yes?"

Too late to back out of his stupid question now, he pressed on. "Didja ever wonder what would've happened to us if... if this'd never happened? If They'd never come and we were still just back in Fujimi High School?"

The made her pause. It was an interesting question, now that she gave it proper thought. No one could doubt that their lives had unfolded in a considerably different way than they may have expected a month ago. Idly, Saeko Busujima finished wiping her blade and slid it expertly back into its accompanying sheath with a solid 'click' as she stood on the docks once more. The fading daylight illuminated her as she gave her response.

"No, but... I think when it comes down to it, I am happy with how things have turned out. I think the same could be said of you, Hirano-kun."

He grimaced but nod ruefully, rubbing the back of his head as if embarrassed. "I guess so. Sad, isn't it? I mean how messed up is that? That I have the most fun when the world is coming to an end."

"Some of the greatest stories in the world are made on tragedy," she remarked off-handedly.

"Don't say that. We're still going to have a happy ending. Eventually," he added, a bit forcefully.

She turned to regard him curiously, eyebrow raised a fraction higher. "Oh? Then I have a question for you, Hirano-kun... what sort of happy ending did you have pictured for us?"

And now he was the one dumbfounded, and without an answer. He thought carefully on that for a few long moments, trying very hard to come up with a good answer, but in the end, all he could say was "I don't know."

"You don't know," she repeated.

"I just want to survive for now," he said. "Well, and keep you all alive too, of course. You're my friends."

She offered a faint smile. "I feel the same."

A sudden crashing sound interrupted their moment together, and as one their heads snapped up in the direction of the maritime store where the rest of their friends were to be found.

"Trouble?" she mused aloud, hand dropping down to caress the hilt of her katana.

He gave a decidedly wicked grin as he pulled back the slide of his rifle. "Oh yeah."

Forepaws resting on the aft of the ship, Zeke gave a short little bark of anger.

* * *

A few minutes prior...

Reluctant though he was to interrupt their fun (on several levels) Takashi clapped his hands as loudly as he dared to get their attention and indicated the boat and their comrades with a tilt of his head. He also beckoned Saya over to the more hardware part of the store to find a replacement for the ships motor.

"So this one'll do?"

"Yeah the part's perfect, and this one looks like it's in good order. As long as it wasn't part of an engine before the EMP, that is. But everything's pristine here. Nobody's touched it in days," she added with a significant glance at the lumpy tarp behind the countertop.

"Good, you take that, get it installed, we'll follow..."

"It's so beautiful," came a remark from Shizuka, who was eyeing a beautiful ship-in-a-bottle display on one of the shelves. She held it in her hand a moment, admiring its pretty nature, before reluctantly placing it back. There was no room for it in her life, not anymore. Alice, however, just beside her, was reaching up for another one that had caught her eye, and leaned heavily on the shelf below it to try and boost her minimum height and reach.

The entire thing began to tilt precariously, as Takashi's amber eyes widened fearfully, and he stretched out a hand to try and avert disaster.

"Alice-chan!"

The entire selection came crashing down moments later, thankfully opposite the direction of the blonde medic and her tiny companion, a deafening cacophony of noise that put everyone instantly on edge.

In the almost deadly silence that followed, a noise arose. The exhalation of air through unused, rotting lungs and decaying mouths. A low moan they'd come to recognize instantly. Turning, Takashi saw at least six of Them, already making their way towards the open door, and perhaps another three in the distance. He didn't wait to do a proper headcount as he grabbed up Alice like a linebacker and made his way as far from the main door as he could.

"We're leaving!" he announced loudly, throwing Alice as gently as he could into Saya's arms and readying his weapon, pumping the shotgun in his hands. Rei took up a fighter's stance with her rifle, the sharp tip of the bayonet pointed at her foes.

Realizing the direct route would be dangerous, to say nothing of time-consuming, Takashi turned and instead made his way along the edge of the room, picking up a display rack and hurling it at the window, shattering it into a thousand pieces. "Go go go!" he yelled, urging his group along. Shizuka, Alice, and Saya bolted for the new, zombie-less exit, while Rei held up rear guard, impaling one of Them as they made a move, the sharp tip of her bayonet piercing the creatures right in the eye and going clear through the socket into their brains.

Takashi leaned over the jagged glass exit he'd just made and turned to find another group of Them approaching from down the way. Without warning he lined up the middle one, an elderly man with a torn neck, and fired his shotgun, blowing him to pieces and knocking the others flat on their back from the backlash.

"Rei!"

"Coming!" she called out over her shoulder.

He helped her over the remaining jagged glass, their hands clasped together as he gave her support, then leaping over it himself and casting gazes left and right for more enemies. Thankfully, in the immediate vicinity the only faces he saw were still healthy and pink, not gray and rotting. But they could hear more moaning, and he was certain that last shot had caught more of their attention. So they settled on their simplest and most effective strategy.

"Run!"

They ran down the docks towards the Mimei, shoes pounding against the wooden planks of the dock. There they met up with Saeko and Kohta, who were on guard, the latter of whom reported "more of Them on the way" from his sniper viewpoint, even as Takashi helped Alice onto the ship.

"Saya, get that engine running!"

"Don't boss me around!" she spat back, even as she climbed onto the ship and proceeded to trip over her new khaki's very long legs. She nearly dropped the new engine piece but managed to hang onto it as she staggered to the aft where it was to be housed.

"We need to defend this position while she makes repairs," remarked Saeko, making her way to stand by Takashi's side. A little closer than was perhaps necessary.

He nodded. "Get ready."

"Always am," she replied.

"Me too," interjected Rei, taking up a position on Takashi's other side and shooting her dark-haired rival a glare. Saeko scarcely spared her a glance. Takashi, caught between them, felt a chill run down his spine. And not because of the oncoming undead horde.

Kohta, high up on the second deck of the yacht, peered down the scope at his approaching targets.

Bang!

His hand was steady, his aim true. One corpse staggering towards the team was suddenly missing its head, and collapsed bonelessly onto the pier. This proved to be a welcome switch, as it provided a barrier of sorts to those behind it, forcing them to stumble and trip over it rather than walk straight forward. And those that did stagger were quickly impaled through the head by Rei's bayonet or had their skull bashed in by the butt of Takashi's shotgun.

Saeko danced across the wooden planks, katana whistling through the air as she decapitated zombie after zombie, blood gushing in the aftermath that splattered all over her outfit, ruining it. But she didn't mind. She was succumbing to the madness already. She could feel it. She could feel _her_ coming to the fore. The part of her that loved the violence, that deeper instinct within.

A grin stretched across her elegant features as Saeko Busujima vanished. "More," the new woman whispered, even as she took the fight on the offensive, and pressed forward, sword eager for blood. One of Them lunged awkwardly at her, and she pivoted and spun in place, her sword going through its heart, then following through the motion to knock them off of her and the docks alike into the black waters below. A twirl and a downward slice relieved one of Them of its arm, and a second slash bifurcated the monster, sending two halves crashing down side by side. Her booted foot, complete with raised heel, coming down and crushing its head underneath her. Every movement was graceful. Every attack was elegant. A veritable Goddess of Death danced amongst the blackened, congealed blood like it was rainwater, pressing ever forward as her vision began to blur with the crimson tinge of bloodlust.

A hand shot through the crimson air and clamped on her shoulder, hard. Angrily, she turned, sword upraised to slaughter who had dared to stop her, when she saw it was Takashi. A flash of concern flitted across his expression, before vanishing, replaced by his customary command face, all seriousness.

"Fall back," he said, following his own advice moments later, and in an instant, Saeko was at his side once again. She'd been too far out, and if she'd pressed on much further she would've been cut off from her comrades. Worse, they might've been in danger without her.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Saya's pink pigtails popped up from where the engine was housed. "It's ready!"

"Start it up!" Takashi shouted, addressing the blonde nurse standing by the wheel. But she only looked down at Saya, who was scrambling to get to her feet and reaching for the cord around her neck.

The cord that was no longer there.

"Key! Where's the key?"

Takashi's eyes snapped up and in a horrible instant, he knew.

"Oh goddamnit...!"

Sure enough, casting his gaze out, he spotted a glint of silver just a littleways down the docks. The cord was broken, it must've snapped at some point and jostled free in the chaos. Seconds before one of Them stumbled along the wooden planks and kicked it and the string on which it was attached into the darkening waters of the harbor.

Cursing, he started to go after it, but another zombie stepped in front of him, and he swung out his shotgun hard, catching it in the head and knocking the undead creature back. Not enough to do serious damage, he'd only grazed Them. Immediately They started coming back after him.

"I got it!" Alice cried out. And before anyone could stop her, the little girl leapt off the back of the yacht and into the water, graceful as a dolphin. Within seconds she was freestyle swimming towards where the key had fallen, and then dove in after it. Despite her young age, she moved with practiced ease. Obviously she'd had lessons at some point.

Takashi resolved to ask her about that. Another undead, a tall woman with short-cropped hair and exposed ribcage, staggered towards him, and he held up his shotgun to catch her teeth, rather than use his shoulder. Two more were already on their way towards him.

He altered his resolve to talk to Alice about her swimming when and _if_ they got away from here.

* * *

Alice had been swimming most of her childhood in one form or another. Her parents owned a private beach house they visited every summer, and when she was old enough her mother had insisted upon her getting real lessons at the YMCA, taught by a accredited professional. Alice had been one of her most gifted students. She was part mermaid, her teacher was wont to quip.

So normally, diving into the water wouldn't have posed a problem for her.

But in the fading twilight, in the murky, dark waters of the harbor, she wasn't feeling nearly as confident as she normally did while immersed. But her family was counting on her, so she dove down. It took her bright eyes a moment to adjust to the haze of blackish water and churned up sand. However, she was in luck. Because after a few seconds, she spotted something bright and shiny below. It had to be the key.

Kicking her legs, Alice shot forward with a practiced movement, using her arms to guide herself as she closed in on her objective. Her tiny hand curled around the precious metal, as well as a good chunk of wet sand that it had been laying in. Placing her feet to the floor of the harbor she was about to give a quick push up and back to the surface when a heavy splash came above her, and she looked up in horror as one of Them started to drift down towards her, thrashing and clawing at the water.

Suppressing the urge to scream, as well as lose valuable oxygen, through sheer force of will, Alice rotated and shot forward as low to the floor of the harbor as she could without hitting sand. She kicked her legs hard so she wouldn't be underneath the body when it hit the bottom. But her thrust through the current was short lived, and she came to a jarring halt as something grasped her ankle. Now she did scream, bubbles spilling out of her pale mouth as she looked back and saw another one of Them, barely more than an arm, a torso, and a rotting head, grabbing hold of her ankle and snapping in her direction with its mouth.

In her haste, she almost dropped the key to make the proper motions with her hands. But upon realizing her mistake, her hand snatched its floating form out of the water, grabbing it and clenched it so hard the metal almost bit down into her skin. Her motions slowed with her hand in a fist but she redoubled the effort with her kicking leg to compensate, trying to keep distance between her and the undead monster trying to eat her.

With relentless persistence it tried to pull her closer, only unable to do so because its muscles had been rotting away. But she wasn't about to give it a chance, and with a mighty heave, twisted, turned, and copied a move she'd once seen Busujima-san employ. Her foot lashed out and collided with the dead man's head, knocking it back and forcing it to release her.

She was almost out of breath as she maneuvered around the still falling corpse and, using one of the wooden pillars supporting the pier, pushed off and towards the last few feet to the surface and the yacht.

* * *

On the dock, the fight was starting to go badly.

The defenders were being pushed farther and farther back by superior numbers. Weariness was starting to set in and for Kohta and Takashi at least, ammo was starting to run low. They'd both agreed to try and conserve as much as they can, not having any clue when they'd be able to restock, but as it is, the volume of attackers was forcing them to commit more and more of their reserves. Even as he spat a curse, Kohta ejected his current magazine and inserted the next one he had at the ready, smooth as quicksilver. Scarcely seven seconds passed before the steady boom of his AR-10 continued to pound in his ears, and another undead dropped down, a significant chunk of its head missing.

Putting some of his spares in the pockets of his new flak vest had been one of his best decisions.

Despite that, things were looking even more grim by the time Alice finally resurfaced, kicking her feet hard as she gasped for breath and spitting out saltwater. Auburn locks clung to her head as she triumphantly held up the key. "I've got it! I've got it!" she shouted, even as Saeko and Rei each grabbed an arm and hauled her up out of the water and onto the Mimei.

Takashi almost smiled, and his smile melted into a grin as he fired a shotgun round into the encroaching menace, killing three and knocking another half-dozen back. He then turned and yelled up at their sniper, even as Shizuka powered up the boats motor.

"Kohta-kun! We need some breathing room!"

Kohta nodded, and decided to give them a most ample distraction. Tilting his rifle up, he sighted along it to find the tanker they'd passed earlier on the streets. Judging the distance and finding it suitably far enough away it wouldn't reach them with anything worse than a loud noise, he pulled the trigger and unleashed the bullet housed in his rifles chamber.

It sped through the air to impact perfectly against the side of the tanker. Milliseconds later a massive explosion erupted, albeit one at a reasonable distance, and all eyes, whether living or dead, were drawn to it. The difference was; the living quickly saw an opportunity for escape, while the dead had no choice but to shuffle towards the new noise in hopes that it was food for their ravenous hunger.

Now perfectly silent, the survivors remained still as statues as the Mimei continued to slowly chugged its way out of the docks and towards freedom. With dainty footsteps they made their way across the planks and onto the ship. Takashi, the last one to leave the docks, turned too quickly, however, and his shotgun banged hard against a wooden post. Two of Them immediately began making their way towards the sound, mouths open and teeth bared.

Kohta took out one, but his sight was blocked from the other by Takashi, and even he couldn't make off a shot like that without a strong likelihood of hitting his teammate as well.

The final undead, a young man with broken glasses, moaned weakly as he grabbed at Takashi with deceptive strength, throwing them both backwards and onto the relative safety of the Mimei, though the entire ship heaved to the side from the heavy burden suddenly added to it. Takashi gave a weak cry as his upper back struck one of the ship's railings, putting him and his attacker off-balance. What came next was worse, as the undead creature stumbled and fell full force atop of his right leg at an awkward angle, and he could have sworn he heard a crack come with its heavy weight, and nearly blacked out from the blinding pain. As it was, he maintained enough sense of self to push up at the undead atop of him with his left knee, giving him a little breathing room as he grabbed at the pistol in his pocket, inserted the barrel into the monster's mouth, and pulled the trigger. The force of the blast at point blank range knocked the zombie off of him and half ways off of the yacht.

It lay suspended over the railing, broken head under the water until Saeko pointedly planted her foot in its rear and kicked it off the side of the Mimei.

A few more undead stumbled towards the direction of the gunshot and the splash but by now they were well out of range and they just stumbled helplessly off the dock and into the water, reminding Kohta of lemmings. He slipped the safety back into position on his rifle and set it down, even as the girls gathered around Takashi to check his injuries.

"Ahh! Goddamnit," Takashi cursed through clenched teeth as he clutched at his wounded leg.

"Takashi, are you okay?" Rei asked as she knelt at his side.

"Baka!" spat Saya, obviously distraught and dealing with it in her customary manner, by lashing out at others. "Of course he isn't okay, what kind of stupid question is that?"

Shizuka gently pushed her out of the way to see the injury for herself, her hands surprisingly soft as she felt at Takashi's leg for the break. "Give me room please," she instructed. Alice stood by with her medical bag clutched in her arms, worry in her eyes, still dripping onto the floor of the yacht. Zeke gave a pitiful whine by her foot as he watched Takashi.

Kohta took the wheel then, realizing that most of the others would be spending all the time worrying over their leader. Which was fine, really. He altered their course to take them out to sea, avoiding the other ships and piers to be found. Right now, they were safe. They could afford to relax a little.

The last rays of the sun vanished behind the expanse of towering metal buildings to the west, as the Mimei continued its voyage east, a pale figure against the black waters of the Pacific Ocean. They travelled with the setting sun at their backs, in the direction of the rising sun, and their future. A future they desperately hoped was brighter than their past few weeks had been.

* * *

The following day Takashi awoke with a blinding headache, likely brought on by fatigue and dehydration, and almost immediately wished he could've gone right back to sleep. The throbbing pain in his leg didn't help much either. The ceiling above him was a dull, dark grayish-blue in color, with weirdly reflecting light on the ceiling, and for a second, he didn't recognize it.

Then he felt the room shift underneath him, and realized it was the rocking of the waves. And above him, that reflecting light was coming from one of the windows (the port holes, he dimly recalled them being called) off of the water outside.

The sun was rising on a new day.

"Oh yeah," he muttered. "I remember now."

It all came flooding back in a slow, painful haze of memories. The mad dash from the military base, the pier store, the escape on the Mimei. He must've been in one of the cabins now. Idly he tilted his head, finding his right leg was being supported by two wooden splints with a set of bandages wrapped around it. It still ached, but didn't hurt nearly as badly as it did earlier. Still, he wasn't going to get up and use it until he heard Shizuka's diagnosis.

If it got worse, there wasn't any way they could get him to a hospital.

Takashi pushed his dark thoughts aside, focusing on the here and now. Like his living arrangements, for one. And the fact that he had a warm body still sleeping at his side. He twisted to look and found a gentle heaviness resting on his rightmost side. Ginger locks made him relax as he realized it was only Rei, her chin pressed against his shoulder as she lay curled up with him as her pillow. She hadn't even bothered to change out of her school uniform, but the collar had come loose sometime during the night, and he saw as much as felt two milky white mounds of flesh peeking out from within as she slept.

He gave a sigh, almost wishing he had less of a strong moral fiber so he could take an opportunity like this and cop a feel. But that wasn't in his character, and so he simply lifted his head and took a look around the room. There were no personal knickknacks, no mementos in the cabin. They had no idea about what kind of man that owned this boat was, except that he was dead now. It'd been pure luck they'd met him before Yokota had gone to hell and grabbed his keys, literally prying them from his cold dead hands as they had made their escape.

It turned out the yacht had two sleeping cabins, one obviously designed for two at the bow of the ship, the other much smaller by the aft, the latter of which Takashi had been put in to recuperate. Shizuka, Saya, and Alice had claimed the master bedroom. Separating them was a common area of sorts with two long padded benches and a fold out table. Saeko and Kohta were currently using these, the latter with great complaint since he did not fit well and frequently fell off during the night with the ships rocking back and forth.

Rei slept by Takashi's side, and then only when she could be convinced to sleep at all. She'd spent most of the night keeping a close watch on him. Grimacing, he lay back down as gently as he could, not wanting to wake her up just yet.

"Awake I see," came a voice from the door.

Takashi lifted his eyes, blinking in surprise as he saw Saeko standing in the open doorway. He hadn't even heard her come in.

She was dressed in a black shirt that was much too big for her (likely one of Kohta's spares) that came down to mid-thigh. If she was wearing anything else, he couldn't see, and his imagination was helping to fill in the blanks very nicely.

"Shizuka-sensei said you might be in pain when you awoke... she prepared these," she said, offering him a full canteen and some pills which she pressed into his hand. "Painkillers. It should help alleviate some of your discomfort."

Idly he lifted up the pills to examine in his hand. Small, white, rectangular shaped. Probably vicodin. He recognized them from a similar medication he'd received after a trip to the dentist last year. When his wisdom teeth had been removed. That felt like a lifetime ago.

"Thank you," he gasped out, his throat dry. Swallowing the pills and downing the canteen almost in a single go, he handed it back to her. He was feeling much better already, having simply wet his throat.

Saeko dipped her head as she took the canteen back. "Get better soon, Takashi," she intoned softly, as she stepped out of the room and gently closed the door. "And thank you as well," she whispered, almost as an after-thought, before vanishing completely.

* * *

As days at sea went, the weather was reasonably good out today. Sunny but a little cool, with only a light breeze and a few clouds in the sky. Under ordinary circumstances, it would've been a beautiful day, and most people would've enjoyed being outside. Not Saya Takagi, daughter of the influential Uyoku Dantai politicians Souichiro and Yuriko Takagi. The only physical activity she had ever enjoyed had been running track in High School, and then only because her parents had insisted she take part in some sort of non-scholastic activity to keep in shape. But right now, they certainly weren't around to tell her what to do, so she was doing what she did best.

Reading. A thick book rested in her hands and she could not have been more content.

A moan reached her ears, instantly putting her on edge, but after a moment, she realized it wasn't one of the walking dead with an insatiable appetite for human flesh. It was a gun otaku with a sore stomach. She didn't even need to glance up as Kohta came up onto the same level as her, sitting down on the floor beside her chair (there was only one) and leaning against the railing as he gave a most undignified moan of pain.

"Problem?" she asked, as delicately as she could. Which was to say, about as delicate a battering ram.

"Seasick," he replied weakly.

"Oh get over it," she muttered, sliding her index finger in between the pages to keep her place and turning to face him, book resting against her chest. "I thought you said your grandfather was a captain of luxury cruisers or something."

"Helmsman," he corrected gently, one hand resting against his tummy as he felt his breakfast churn uneasily within him. "But I still don't like being at sea. Besides, I can't swim."

She rolled her eyes, idly wondering if God was taking some sick delight in having her stuck with this one for days on end.

"Well don't worry about that, baka. Fat floats, after all. You'll be fine."

Whining in a vain effort to obtain sympathy, Kohta leaned back in his seat and tried to relax as best he could with the ship continuing to rock with the waves. Tears streaked down his eyes as he realized how very unfair life was to him right now. Very, very unfair.

Idly the two of them glanced up as she heard someone coming out of the cabin, but it was only Saeko. Shrugging, Saya turned back to her book, amber orbs grazing over the pages to soak up the knowledge provided therein. It's not like she'd been waiting for Takashi or anything. Of course not. She wasn't worried the slightest bit about their fearless leader. He'd be fine.

* * *

Since the SS Mimei was currently drifting, no one was manning the wheel, but Saya had claimed the seat in front of it anyway because it was padded and thus comfortable. She sat with her legs on the dashboard, reading a book she'd stolen from their brief stay at the military base. A novel on American history, if Saeko read the cover right.

The Busujima swordswoman herself went to go lounge along the right (or starboard) side of the ship, soaking in the sun's rays, which felt warming. She usually didn't care for beach trips or ocean voyages, but she could definitely get used to this sort of thing. Shizuka was sleeping in well past breakfast, and Alice was playing with Zeke at the aft of the ship, the two of them ensuring the other was entertained in the limited space they had.

All in all, it was peaceful. A most direct sort of contrast to their previous few days. Despite the warmth of the sunlight on her skin, Saeko shivered, remembering how close she'd been to losing herself on the docks. It was getting worse.

_She_ was getting worse.

It was close to noon when their fearless leader Takashi finally joined them above deck, startling Saeko out of her dark thoughts and letting them fade away.

A soft smile came to her lips as she saw Takashi make his way onto the aft deck, leaning against the framework to avoid putting undue pressure on his bad leg. He was able to center her. Provide her with a sense of calmness. And in worse moments, when she felt her identity slipping away, he was able to remind her of who she was. With little more than a word or two or a look.

She was grateful for that.

But she still enjoyed teasing him on occasion, and this one certainly worked well, and so she remained perfectly silent as he turned to look around the deck, spotting Kohta and Alice playing by the aft of the yacht, the latter of whom was now dressed in a shiny pink, one-piece swimsuit with a frilly built-in skirt. One of their acquisitions from the pier side store before it had been attacked. Kohta was in his customary shirt and trousers, his jacket and flak vest below deck with the rest of their things. Apparently his stomach had settled a bit, and he was feeling less sick, because he was cheerfully singing along with the little red-haired girl in his care.

"Second verse, same as the first!" Kohta declared, pumping a fist into the air.

"_Ring around the roh-see_!" Alice sang happily.

"_Pockets full of poh-see_!" he joined in.

"_Ashes, ashes, we all fall down_!" they sang together, followed by Alice doing just that, laughing as she rolled on the deck of the ship, carefree and innocent.

Takashi stifled a laugh, but a grin spread across his face all the same. Idly he wondered what Saya would've thought of Kohta teaching Alice such a morbid song, even if it was a legitimate nursery rhyme this time. Then again, it was doubtful Alice knew its origins. Kohta might not either. Takashi only did because of a study he'd done on Medieval Europe last year for his World History class.

And it _was_ oddly appropriate, he supposed. Given the state of the world.

"Its nice out here, isn't it?" came a voice to his left, and Takashi turned... and blinked amber eyes, and almost immediately felt his face redden as blood rushed to it.

Alice wasn't the only one of the girls who'd changed into a swimsuit, it seemed.

Lounging in a way that seemed both dignified and lazy simultaneously, Saeko Busujima's shapely curves were wrapped up in an elegant black one-piece that clung to her like a second skin, dotted by a white design that seemed to resemble a celtic dragon stretched out across her left side. Without even the slightest effort on her part, or so it seemed, she sat up regally, in such a way that the suit immediately began to strain against her modest bosom. Her long, elegant dark strands brushed against her sides, unbound and free to wave in the breeze.

"Saeko," he managed to say with a minimum of stutter. "You look... nice," he finished lamely, but sincerely.

A faint blush colored her cheeks at his compliment, and she demurely lowered her eyes.

Soft footfalls interrupted them, and both turned to see Rei emerging from below decks, finishing up her own new outfit. She was dressed in a ivory white bathing suit not dissimilar from Saeko's, except that it was a two-piece, allowing her toned midriff to be visible. To this she had added a wide-brimmed floppy hat atop of her head and a semi-transparent wraparound skirt around her slender waist, which she was just finishing knotting at her side. A pretty smile graced her face as she spotted Takashi and immediately made her way over to him.

She looked like something out of a commercial, idyllic and beautiful and unattainable, yet here she was.

Right in front of him, real as he was.

"How do I look?" she asked excitedly, grasping her hat and giving a twirl to show herself off from every angle. And intentionally or not, giving her skirt a flip upwards to give a most provocative view of her firm prosterior during her brief spin. Takashi felt his cheeks getting hotter with each second that passed.

"Uh-uhm... I ah..." he managed to stutter out.

She frowned lightly at him. "Is that all you've got to say?" she asked, pointedly ignoring Saeko. Who was quick to return the courtesy.

Takashi stumbled backwards, trying to put just a little space between him and Rei so he could gather his thoughts and make a proper compliment like she deserved. But in that instant, he'd forgotten entirely about his leg, and put his full weight on it. Almost immediately, he collapsed backwards, wincing as he fell to the deck.

"The heck is going on down here, I can barely hear myself think!" muttered Saya from the steering wheel, as she flounced up out of her seat and down to join the others. She too had changed. Her new outfit was borderline indecent, as she was in a light blue two piece. The bottom was similar to Rei's design, but the upper piece was strapless, little more than a tube top. And with a rack as impressive as Saya Takagi's, every step she took across the deck made the thin material strain to keep her from exposing herself.

She scarcely seemed to notice as she regarded Takashi with an odd look, part quizzical and part annoyed.

"Well?" she demanded, hands on her hips, leaning forward to glare at Takashi.

Saeko and Rei also joined in the look, albeit with considerably less heat. Three bathing beauties lined up before Takashi in a dazzling display of cloth and flesh. In the very far back of his mind, where his logic was currently being smothered by his libido, he wondered how the girls had managed to find swimsuits so perfectly fit for them in such a short time, never mind at a makeshift store like the one they'd raided at the docks. Takashi clutched at his face in a valiant effort to hold back what he knew was coming, but a girlish squeal emanated from within the yacht and he knew in a moment he was lost.

"Hey everyone! How do I look?" Shizune asked as she flounced up onto the deck. She too was in a bathing suit, but it took Takashi a moment to actually see the suit, since it was so tiny. A bikini, little more than three triangles of a bright green, with darker green stripes, almost like the skin of a watermelon...

A gush of blood erupted from his nose as he fainted the thankfully short distance down onto the deck of the ship, half-conscious and near delirious. Looking up at the thud, Kohta spotted the girls, and promptly joined him in a similar state on his back, tears of joy streaming down his cheeks.

"K.O.," Saya declared, deadpan.

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**I'd like to go on record stating I'm no scientist, and so my ideas and story elements of science like the radiation and nuclear winter, and later on mechanics and environment and even medicine, are largely guesswork on my part. Then again, this is a story about zombies after all. Like Saya said, the rules have pretty much gone out the window at this point.


	3. 02 Algor Mortis

**_II – Algor Mortis_**

"_Your life feels different on you, once you  
__greet Death and understand your heart's  
__position. You wear your life like a garment  
__from the Good Will sale ever after, lightly  
__because you realize you never paid anything  
__for it, cherished because you know you won't  
__ever come by such a bargain again_."

- **Louise Erdich**.

* * *

**Somewhere along the South-East Coast of Japan  
****0950 hours,  
****Z Day + 18**

After a while on the waves the Mimei's occupants started to relax and finally start enjoying their time at sea, settling into the same comfortable routine they usually did when they had a moment to rest. Kohta spent his time cleaning and taking inventory of their weapons, while Takashi spent most of his time resting near the aft of the ship with his injured leg propped up. The girls spent the majority of their time sunbathing or chatting at the bow, where the boys couldn't overhear them.

Judging from the frequency and volume of giggles coming from the front of the ship, Takashi wasn't entirely convinced he wanted to know what they were talking about anyway.

The next day continued in much the same way, and for a while their trip seemed more like a vacation than survival. After the hassle they'd endured escaping from Shintoko Third Elementary School, and later Yokota Air Base, they were in need of very important downtime to calm frayed nerves. And Takashi, for one, was grateful for the chance to rest. He'd been running and fighting so long he'd almost forgotten how pleasant it was to simply lounge around, shirtless, in the sun and surf.

Their marksman Kohta, however, wasn't faring nearly as well, he noticed with a glance to his side. He was laying against the side of the ship with his hands holding his stomach. He definitely didn't take as well to the ocean, his appetite was all but dead and his meals never settled well. Thankfully he hadn't felt a need to be sick over the side of the ship, but he was morose and depressed and whatever small spark of joy he'd found in the past few weeks had faded with no targets to shoot at or problems to solve.

Well, none of a military nature, anyway. He still had plenty of the other variety.

To prove a point, by day two he was in mild pain from a sunburn he'd developed on his ears, nose, and forehead. Apparently he burned easily. Naturally, he brought the issue up with their medical expert.

Suntan lotion was the answer.

Shizuka beamed brightly and triumphantly as she held up two bottles of the substance, one in each hand. "I thought this might come up when we were at the pier store," she said. "So I grabbed them on the way out. SPF 45."

Kohta took one of the bottles and immediately applied it to what skin was visible, which wasn't much considering he still wasn't comfortable enough to discard his shirt, as Takashi had done. Too self-conscious. No one pressed him about this, but by the same token, no one else seemed to mind their own figures being visible. They'd all gotten more or less perfectly comfortable with one another.

In fact, Takashi realized as the other girls drifted over for their turns at the lotion, it probably wouldn't be long before they were applying the suntan lotion to each other. Or maybe, if he was supremely lucky...

Indeed, Saeko's lips seemed to part as she drew in a breath. But before she could pose a question, a flash of ginger obscured Takashi's vision as Rei all but launched herself at him.

"Oooh Takashi," she said as she wrapped her arms around his and leaned into him. "Care to help me lotion my back? I can't quite reach."

Takashi's eyes widened at the innuendo lacing her words, and managed to splutter out a reply in the affirmative. Rei took his hand and guided him towards the bow of the ship for just a little privacy.

It didn't even occur to him to look back.

Standing on the deck, Saeko's eyes narrowed, and something dark flitted behind them, even as she sat back down and waited patiently for her turn at the bottle of suntan lotion, watching as Shizuka gave a squeal when Alice began diligently applying it to the older woman's back.

* * *

Despite the view of some that he was a flawless and effective leader, Takashi had numerous problems he readily recognized with his personality. And amongst them, perhaps most prominently, was that he had difficulty with girls.

Not that he couldn't talk to them, or got tongue-tied and awkward, like some of his fellows back in High School. As long as he talked to them like a person, he was fine. But when he recognized them as a woman, and especially, in regards to a woman he had feelings for... that's when he found himself in an awkward position. Finding a way to express his feelings without coming across as condescending, over-enthusiastic, or false. The trick was, he thought, to show your affection through your actions and words, yet not so much that you seemed like a pervert. Women could be very temperamental when it came to what they wanted. So in an act with one of them, you usually found yourself without a script to follow.

You needed a very, very delicate touch.

This was what filled his mind as he reluctantly filled his hands with suntan lotion and ever so gently started apply it to Rei's bare back. Not that he didn't want to touch her, of course, but he prided himself on being a gentleman.

"Mmmm," she murmured, eyes closed, head resting on her arms. "Your hands are warm."

Smiling slightly at the remark, he deepened his touch, spreading the lotion evenly over all of her exposed skin, being very careful not to tickle her. He knew from experience Rei was very sensitive. For a moment, he even recalled when they were kids, and oh how he used to tickle her back then. He stifled a chuckle.

"What?" she asked.

"Just thinking... remember when we were kids, and we used to play all the time at the Awayuki Park together. And you were so ticklish..."

She giggled softly at the thought, but then added a stern "don't you dare" afterwards.

He laughed softly as he continued applying the lotion, being very careful his fingertips didn't descend too far down her back or sides towards more sensitive, private regions. "And then there was that one day those fourth graders came along and tried to steal your swing..."

"... and you stepped in and tried to stop them..."

"... and ended up with a broken nose for my trouble," he added ruefully.

She smiled as she added, "And I helped you wash off before your Mom came to pick us up."

_That was when I realized how much I loved you_, he thought, though aloud he only said "... I miss those days."

_You protected me_, she thought, replying only with a "So do I."

By this point Takashi had largely finished, and Rei's skin was safe from the merciless UV that could've damaged it, but his hands rested on her shoulders lightly, and he was very reluctant to remove them. He liked the way he felt right now, so close to her, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath his fingers. He wasn't sure if it was love anymore, things had changed so much between them, but attraction was all too prevalent in his feelings now. So was a large amount of genuine care. And so he leaned in slowly atop of her... and a sharp pain shot through his again forgotten leg, forcibly reminding him of its damaged state. He winced, and she must've heard him, as she glanced up over her shoulder.

"My leg," he hissed through clenched teeth, taking a moment to carefully shift his position into a seated one across from her, his mood completely killed as he tried to breathe in slowly to let the pain abate.

Frowning, she nodded. "It's okay," she said softly, reaching out a hand to tenderly pat his upper leg, where it wasn't injured. But inwardly she was seething. Honestly, first it was her back, now it was his leg. Every time they seemed to get closer something always got in the way.

* * *

By day three, Saya Takagi was bored, and most of the makeshift crew of the Mimei felt the same way to a greater or lesser degree. With such limited space and few products of entertainment like the books and toys they were rapidly going stir crazy. The tight quarters was forcing them to sleep in shifts so they did not use up all the space. On top of that, the weather was taking a turn for the worse, clouds rapidly forming overhead and threatening to unleash a downpour any day now. It was midway through day three, just before lunch had started, that Saya called for a group meeting.

The self-proclaimed and rarely-disputed genius stood as the others sat in a circle at the aft of the ship, idly munching on their lunch as they listened.

"Okay, first order of business," Saya declared. "I think we can all agree we can't stay out here indefinitely. Our food is already running low, and the weather's getting colder. We need to go back to the mainland to get more supplies. Soon, if not immediately."

Kohta raised an eyebrow at that. "We've got at least three more days wort-"

"Of food. Barely. And only two days of fresh water. After that we'll have to start boiling sea water to make it safe to drink."

Takashi nodded thoughtfully. "We should always have more than we need, and bottled water is preferable now that we have a place to store it."

"But we have those six MREs still untouched," Kohta started to weakly protest, before Saya stepped into their circle and leaned in, putting her face right up in his. This had the added effect of letting her ample cleavage dangle like a pair of ripe oranges in her tube top, though she did not seem to notice.

"Do you really want to wait until we're down to nothing?" she asked menacingly. "What if you want to have a midnight snack or two? Or what if there's a leak and the food gets ruined? Do you want to wait until something bad happens and we have to eat Zeke?"

Terrified with Saya breathing down his neck, and unable to quite tear his gaze off of her curvaceous figure, which in turn made him only more terrified, Kohta gave a quick "yes ma'am!" This seemed to satisfy her for the moment, and she moved off. Kohta quickly breathed a sigh of relief.

Curiously, so did Zeke.

"So we need more food," said Rei. "We can get that next time we dock."

Pink hair bobbed up and down at Saya nodded. "Second issue. Clothing. And clothes are an important issue."

"Uhm... we have clothes, don't we?" asked Shizuka, looking over at Kohta, one of the only ones still wearing a shirt. Takashi and he still had jeans, since neither had been able to secure bathing suits at the pier store, but to a one, the girls were all still in swimsuits. Their regular clothes were below deck in the cabins.

Saya folded her arms across her chest. "In case you haven't noticed, it's normally much hotter this time of year. It was early fall when this all started, so by now it should still be fairly warm out. And yet it's cooler. And unless I'm wrong, it's going to get colder still."

They exchanged puzzled glances at that.

Amber eyes rolled as Saya suppressed the urge to sigh in disgust at their slow thought processes. "That nuke that detonated over Japan wasn't the only one. Well, okay, maybe it was to begin with, but by now other governments and countries have got to be doing the same thing to try and control each other or to wipe out Them, and not all of them are going to be shot out of the air before they impact."

Realization dawned on Takashi. "Nuclear winter," he surmised aloud.

She nodded, pink pigtails bouncing. "Each impact throws up hundreds of thousands of dust particles and smoke, which is going to spread all over the atmosphere. This will mix partially with existing cloud cover and spread until it covers the planet. So it doesn't matter if the nukes went off in London or New York, we are ALL going to experience the after effects. Could be mild, could be the new Ice Age."

"So basically, what we need now is winter clothes, in case things go bad," remarked Takashi, already thinking ahead. "And we store them below deck along with everything else."

"Right. We didn't have space on the humvee, but the boat is perfect. At least for a while. And if I'm wrong, fine, we won't need them. But if I'm right, I doubt any of us want to freeze when things get bad."

"Exactly. Same principle as a condom and a gun," said Takashi.

Confused looks were shared by the crew of the Mimei until their resident marksman recognized the old saying. "Better to have and not need... then need and not have," quoted Kohta in a sage-like fashion.

"Alright, we'll add it to our shopping list," Takashi remarked, finishing off his bag of chips, crumpling up the bag. He was about to toss it over the side when he remembered it might attract seagulls or other unwanted scavengers, and shoved it into a plastic bag they were using to hold their trash for now. "Anything else?"

"Third issue. Us."

This caused more than a few confused looks to be shared between them. "Would you care to clarify that issue, Takagi-san?" inquired Saeko.

"Alright, let's start simple," she replied with more than a hint of sarcasm. "Anyone not interested in living the rest of their life on a boat raise their hand."

Unsurprisingly, the only person who didn't raise her hand was Shizuka, who was waiting for the second part of the question. Ignoring her, Saya pressed on. "So what we need is a goal. We can't just keep drifting aimlessly or we're going to fall apart. Or get killed. Right here and now, we need to decide for ourselves what that goal is."

"Uhm, aren't we going to just wait until we're rescued?" asked Shizuka tentatively.

"... that's not going to happen anymore," said Takashi with a heavy sigh, suddenly feeling drained. Everyone was looking at him. "We haven't seen a single helicopter or place pass overhead in days now. Not since the Army Base."

"Air Base," Kohta corrected meekly.

Takashi continued on as if he hadn't been interrupted. "By now, I think we can safely assume that civilization has collapsed. Now I don't think _everyone_'s become one of Them, but we saw how quick this spread. Humanity is probably just little pockets of resistance now, tiny groups hiding away across the world, like we're doing. And if there's any military left they'll be focused on saving themselves, not us. We're on our own. So yeah, Saya-san's right. We need to decide what we're going to do."

Rei shivered uncomfortably at the idea. "There's no chance of us finding our families now, is there?"

Amber eyes flicked away, suddenly finding the ocean waves beyond very enticing. "No," he replied, wishing he could sugar coat the truth but finding himself unable to. "I don't think so."

"All the more reason we need a new purpose," said Saya, drawing their attention once more. "We banded together for survival, and for strength in numbers. If we go on together, we need to do so for a new reason. Or we're just as aimless as Them."

Takashi frowned at the implication, even as he agreed with the general line of thought.

"Damnit," he muttered, racking his brain and thinking aloud. "What do survivors normally do in a zombie apocalypse? In the movies I mean."

"Depends on what sort of Outbreak it is. The root cause tends to vary from film to film," replied Kohta, who in addition to being a gun and gaming otaku, was also something of a film geek as well.

"This isn't a movie," Saya said, though she didn't exactly protest the line of conversation they'd embarked upon. Much as she would've preferred to tell them that this was the real world, and not some horror fantasy, even she recognized the fact that, like it or not, zombies walked the Earth. However, since this was virgin territory for the strictly utilitarian genius, she kept her mouth shut and let them talk amongst themselves, only interrupting to point out an actual observation they'd made when it differed from their film information.

"What about the Resident Evil series? They had a cure in that," suggested Rei.

"Only if you got bit but hadn't turned yet. And it didn't always work. And the world _still_ ended by the third movie," replied Kohta.

"And even if there was a cure, we wouldn't have a clue on where to find it," added Saya. "So if one of us gets bit..."

"We're done for," finished Saeko softly, remembering full well the ones they'd had to end because of the infection. Some by her own hand.

"Uhm, I sort of remember seeing this one on television, I think it was called Dawn of the Dead," said Shizuka, completely lost but doing her best to try and stay afloat in the sea of conversation. "They seemed to do alright for a while."

"Was that the remake or the original?" asked Kohta.

"Uhm, I don't know," she replied.

"Where they hid at a Mall?"

"Yeah! That's it!"

"The remake," Kohta nodded sagely.

"Did it have a happy ending?" asked Rei.

"The male protagonist died at the end from a bite while the others escaped on a ship... kinda like us," Takashi remarked, having seen the movie himself. He'd snuck into the theater despite being under-aged to watch it. "After that, the film ends."

"Actually there's some post-credit scenes," interjected Kohta. "But they're... not very encouraging. But on that note, if anyone finds a cooler drifting in the sea... let's just play it safe and not open it."

Depressing silence followed, and idly the survivors of Fujimi High began to wonder if perhaps there was no happy ending waiting for them at the end of their experience either. They'd survived this long, certainly, when countless other teams and groups had fallen. But how much further could they go? Where _could_ they go?

"I'm with you, Takashi," say Rei firmly. "You know that."

Beside her, Saeko nodded once. "I intend to remain," she stated quietly. "Whatever our goal, my sword is yours, Takashi."

"I'm in too," added Kohta.

"Me too!" said Alice with a bright smile.

"Me also!" interjected Shizuka.

Zeke gave a sharp bark, wagging his tail.

Takashi chuckled weakly at the amount of enthusiasm being shown, and ruefully wondered if he was still cut out to be their leader. But whether he liked it or not, they all still looked to him for answers. "Looks like we're decided, Saya-san."

She nodded. "Then we need to make a goal. Even you, Takashi. So I want you to all start thinking of that goal we're going to have," she stated, adjusting her glasses a moment. "In two days, we need to decide what each of us wants. Where we go, what we do. We'll vote then. Anyone who doesn't agree can go their own way if they want. Sound good?"

They all nodded, and Saya sat back down in her spot in the circle.

"Fourth issue," Takashi stated, seeing Saya wrapping up and determined to look leader-ish. "Ammo. Hirano-kun, what's our status?"

Snapping to attention as best he could, considering he was sitting cross-legged with Alice resting in his lap, he gave his report. "We're good to go for a short fight or two, but not a prolonged battle, Komuro-san. Four shells for your Beneli M4 Super 90, half a 10-round magazine for Miyamoto-san, four and a half 20-round magazines for my AR-10, a full clip for Busujima-sempai's beretta, but only eight rounds left in the magazine for Takagi-sama's luger."

"Which we should save," interjected Saya. "The luger stays with me. We're not using it in a fight."

Takashi and Kohta glanced between one another, and nodded. "Agreed," Takashi said. "Luger stays here on the Mimei, and we keep our fights brief if we have any at all."

The other four didn't seem to understand the thought process behind the decision, but Kohta and Takashi had recognized Saya's decision almost instantly. Eight shots in a small pistol. Eight of them. The math was flawless.

_If_ the situation ever warranted it.

"Any other topics?" he asked lightly, turning to the circle to see if anyone else had any input.

* * *

In the end, the Mimei's sails were hoisted up for the first time and they made their way westwards, back towards Japan, and slightly southwards to avoid Tokyo proper. They suspected smaller cities with lesser population would be marginally safer, and thus altered course accordingly. Despite his professed dislike of sailing, Kohta proved to be somewhat adept at it, and provided insight and instruction as the rest of the crew operated the sails while he steered them. It took them only a little over an hour or two to travel along the coast to another seaside city, and far less to dock at the port. There was no sign of anyone there, and it was eerily quiet save for the occasional bird cry from circling seagulls overhead.

Much as he would've liked to come along, Takashi recognized quite readily he wasn't going anywhere with his leg in such poor condition. So he was quick to take action before an argument broke out amongst his peers. Either now or later down the road. "Since I can't come along, I'm recommending Hirano-kun take charge of the group in my absence."

"Me?"

"Him?" Saya shrieked.

Takashi nodded. "Hirano-kun knows military operations. Well, from this point on, this may as well be one," he said, then turned to address Kohta himself. "Your goal is to get the supplies and get them back to home base, through enemy territory," he explained, deliberately using terms he'd only heard of in video games before. Judging from the increasingly zealous light in Kohta's eyes, he'd struck his mark. "Can we rely on you to see us through all that?"

Kohta quickly came to attention and saluted. "Yes sir!"

He was quickly smacked in the back of the head by Saya, who told him in no uncertain terms to pipe down or risk attracting unwanted attention. While ironically being far louder in tone.

"Use the buddy system," Takashi added as the team prepared their weapons and suit up, exchanging bathing suits for regular clothes which would be much more practical for their mission. "Rei, I want you to keep an eye out for Shizuka-sensei. Saeko-san, you'll watch Alice-chan."

"I will protect her with my life," the swordswoman affirmed, resting a hand gently on the little redheads shoulder, who smiled up at her big sis.

"Shouldn't we keep them here?" asked Kohta.

Takashi shook his head. "More hands you have the better, so Shizuka-sensei and Alice-chan should come along as well. Plus, Shizuka-sensei will be the best one to drive if you find a car."

That made sense, and Kohta reluctantly agreed to bring along 'non-combatants' as he shrugged on his flak vest.

Saya was the only one in a poor mood at the excursion. "I guess that means Kohta-kun is my 'buddy'," she muttered, making the word sound dirty.

"Actually I wanted you to stay behind, Saya-san."

"What? Why?"

Takashi indicated himself and, more specifically, his leg. "I'm not exactly in top fighting shape and the Mimei is vulnerable here. Someone needs to stay behind and protect it and our stuff."

He saw Rei and Saeko both stiffen, and cast penetrating looks his way, perhaps wondering why one of them hadn't been chosen to remain behind as the Mimei's guardian. As well as his unofficial bodyguard. But Takashi had thought about that carefully as well, and realized that if he asked one or the other to do such, it was tantamount to choosing one over the other. Saya was an old childhood friend whom was more like a bossy little sister to him, picking her over one of them ensured neither of them was upset.

Too bad.

He _hoped_.

Their resident genius, however, was clearly ticked. "So who'll protect us?" asked Saya angrily.

A distinct bark interrupted her, and Takashi smiled as he lay a hand on Zeke's furry white head, giving him a soft pat as he sat beside their fearless leader. "Zeke'll keep us safe," he stated, half sarcastically. It was largely true though. Zeke could smell when They were near, and seemed to also recognize the scents of those outside of his 'pack' and react to them in the same way, if they were come across by living enemies as well as dead ones. It wasn't completely beyond the realm of possibility that bandits or thieves or just plain madmen might attack them while they were docked at the pier.

Fuming, Saya did not protest as she was equipped with a pistol and set to guard duty on the Mimei for herself, Takashi, and Zeke. The rest departed the ship as quietly as possible and made their way along the pier and towards the city, vanishing into the expanse of buildings within minutes.

Takashi already felt his gut clench at the thought of his friends in danger, and beside him, Zeke whined, perhaps also worried. He continued to softly pat the little mutt on his tiny head. The gesture calmed them both.

"Don't worry boy, they'll be alright," he whispered. _He hoped_.

* * *

In this modern day and age, big businesses were rapidly overpowering smaller, family run stores, even on a tiny island nation like Japan. Back at Fujimi High School, on occasion, someone would launch into a rant about the evils of big corporations yet ironically visit one the very next day. Right now, the survivors were grateful that they didn't have to spend their time going from store to store. Convenience was helping necessity. Virtually anything they could possibly need could be found here, at the Super Viva Home.

The parking lot was nearly completely devoid of life. A few wrecked cars marked where accidents had occurred, and the ground was covered in bodies, some human, some more distinctly Them. But none alive, or animated, at any rate. Still, Kohta kept close watch as they made their way towards the store, swinging his rifle back and forth as he kept watch for signs of trouble.

It was deathly quiet.

Approaching the store's main entrance, they saw it was barricaded by some heavy furniture on the inside of the sliding doors, no doubt someone had decided to use the store as a shelter when the Outbreak began. After scanning the streets and making sure everyone was close by, Kohta called out to the barricade for anyone inside, as loudly as he dared. Ten minutes passed. He called out again as the others kept watch, but it remained silent, the sound of his voice echoing the only thing that could be heard.

"Do you think they'd all dead in there, Hirano-kun?" asked Rei with a shiver. She hated the silence, it was almost most unsettling than any sort of noise.

Kohta shouldered his rifle and gently tested the integrity of the barricade. It seemed secure. "One way to find out," he muttered, using his full strength and trying to shift one of the heavier items out of the way to give them an entrance.

"Wait," Saeko intoned, placing a hand on his shoulder. A tilt of her head indicated an employee's entrance further down, with the door wide open.

Puzzled, Kohta unslung his weapon and the team made their way to it, peering inside. Apparently the door connected to an office and a small employee lounge of sorts, both of which were a complete mess. Beyond that was another locked door. Rei tested the knob, found it quite secure, and stepped aside to allow Kohta to applying his lock-picking skills with a drill. That is to say, taking the lock completely off. It was even easier than it had been at the police station, since it wasn't designed at the same level of keeping guns locked up.

A few minutes of whirring later, Kohta triumphantly tossed the knob aside, handed the drill back to Alice to slide into her pack, and grabbed the door frame. He nodded to Rei and Saeko, indicating they should be ready.

They nodded, and he pulled the door open.

None of Them greeted the survivors, nor anything else. Like the outside, the entire store was silent as a grave, and unlike outside, it was also just as dark as one, as the power was out, and the place had virtually no windows. It was warmer inside, and the air had a heavy scent to it, not quite rotting food, but close. Kohta un-holstered a flashlight he'd clipped to his vest and flicked it on, the bright rays waving over the area to see if there was any danger. Still no signs of trouble. This had the effect of putting them more on edge than they were before. But now, they finally had access to everything, and despite some wear and tear the place seemed reasonably intact, and a lot of its products were still in place. One half of the store was devoted to food, and the far end was toys, car supplies, electronics, and home furnishings. The middle was all clothing.

No signs of humans, no signs of Them.

But someone had to have set up that barrier. Who?

So deeply engrossed in his thoughts, Kohta nearly jumped out of his skin when there came the sudden clang of metal on metal. Instantly everyone turned, weapons up and ready, only to find Shizuka, waving her hands frantically. She'd been trying to pick up one of the overturned metal shopping carts, and dropped it. Breathing a sigh of relief, Kohta relaxed marginally, leaning back against one of the displays...

... which erupted outwards, DVD cases spraying everywhere as one of Them attacked, moaning loudly as its arms enclosed around Kohta's shoulders. The otaku panicked instantly, and threw himself backwards in an effort to shake the undead monster off of him. However, his footing was not sure, and he tripped over one of the DVD cases, causing his feet to slide out from underneath him and knock him flat on his back. This saved his life, as the zombie missed his shoulder with its first deadly bite as they both went tumbling down, landing on his back with the dead monster partly atop of him. His flashlight went clattering across the ground until Shizuka ran over and scooped it up, aiming it at Kohta so they could all see.

Rei stepped in with a cry and rammed her bayonet through the undeads head and into the marble floor, narrowly missing Kohta's shoulder as he scrambled to his feet and away from her. By now they could already hear more of Them on their way. Rei and Kohta primed their weapons, the former glancing at the latter as he took aim, hands shaking. Shizuka held up her arm higher to cast more light on the immediate area, giving them all visibility. Several gray forms staggered out of the darkness, coming from behind displays and aisles towards the living intruders.

"Let's rock!" Kohta shouted, and immediately opened fire, blowing the head off the gray form of a store manager, still in uniform.

Rei raised her rifle and took aim as well, and picked off another, an overweight zombie in the back. She didn't manage a headshot but she hit his stomach and knocked him on his back. It kept him from advancing for the moment, and would allow her to impale the undead monster in the head later.

Another one of Them, a freckled boy with a rip in his neck, staggered towards her left, suddenly well inside of her comfort zone, before his head exploded in a shower of black and gray.

"Two!" Kohta's voice came in over the chaos.

"It's not a competition!" argued Rei loudly, even as she pivoted and lashed out with her leg, knocking one of Them back and then following up with an impalement with her rifles bayonet. Her spear techniques were more familiar territory, she decided. She was only wasting ammo the other way.

Meanwhile, Saeko had drawn her katana and held it ready before her as two more of Them advanced on her, an elderly couple from the looks of it. But at that critical moment, she hesitated. Her hands were trembling, and realized if she started to fight now, there was nothing to hold her back if _she_ came to the fore again. If she lost herself in the bloodlust of the moment. For the first time since the shrine, Saeko slid a step back, and hesitated to attack.

Then something red pelted past her shoulder, and a tomato exploded against the side of the old zombie's head.

Turning in surprise, Saeko saw Alice standing atop of one of the food stands, pelting its contents at the two zombies in an effect to drive them back, giving Saeko time to get a hold of herself. _For Takashi_, she thought. The boy she cared for.

And for the promise she'd made.

Concentrating on that helped to keep her focused, and she stepped forward with a simple but precise slash that decapitated the gray grandmother, following through with her sheath in a similar motion to knock the undead man back as well. She was about to turn and finish him when another gunshot rang out, and she saw that Kohta had done the job for her. She frowned darkly at the marksman who'd interrupted her fight, but took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. Keeping focussed.

It didn't take much longer to clean up the remainder of the zombies present. Mostly store workers and managers, the old couple, a few punk kids and the obese man. All reanimated, now quite dead, their bodies resting atop of displays and the floor as it stained with blood. It wasn't a pretty sight, but it was victory none the less, and nothing tasted sweeter.

Kohta ejected his now empty magazine and gave a fierce grin.

"Living a thousand, Them zero," he declared, pronouncing the score for one and all to hear.

* * *

"It'd be reaaall easy, you know," came a sing-song voice, puzzling Takashi as he glanced up from his work. To his surprise, he saw Saya fiddling with her pistol in an almost erotic manner, tracing the muzzle along her lips.

"Reaaall eaaasy," she murmured again, amber orbs glassy and unseeing. And then there was that tone of voice. It set off all kinds of warning bells in the back of Takashi's mind. She was starting to sound like someone who'd accepted Koichi Shido as their personal savior. Or in a slightly more flattering turn of phrase, a complete nut.

Without another word, Saya clicked off the safety of the Luger P08 and put the muzzle into her mouth, aiming up at the top of her head.

Bolting out of his seat, Takashi outstretched a hand to try and swat the gun out of her hand. "SAYA!"

Click.

Takashi stumbled, landing awkwardly because of his broken leg, and winced as the pain flooded him. But this was a less of a shock to his system then what was directly in front of him. Namely, one Saya Takagi, with pretty pink head completely intact, idly tugging the pistol from her lips and letting it dangle from her finger as she gave her companion a look of disgust.

"Oh relax you idiot it's not loaded," she said, holding up the still full magazine in her other hand. "What do you think I am, stupid?"

"I'm beginning to wonder!" he shouted, snatching the ammo magazine from her hand and stumbling back to his seat, wincing as his leg flared up again. Gingerly, he brought it up to rest on a cushion they'd moved from below deck.

"Baka," she muttered.

"Saya this is not an option!" he said in no uncertain terms. She glared back at him.

"It is so. Eight bullets, eight of us. Seven if we want to let little Zeke run wild after we're all gone. Humans and Them may leave him alone, but he's domesticated, he wouldn't live more than a week all by himself..."

"Not an option," he repeated. "We haven't come this far to give up now."

"Would you rather have a long, drawn out, agonizingly painful death by starvation or freezing... oooor..." she stated, pointing the pistol at the side of her head again, and pulled the trigger with another ominous click. Takashi was tempted to grab it and hurl it into the sea, but he realized it would be pointless.

He simply glared back at her, unable to come up with a good response, and finally went back to his work with a growl.

Saya idly glanced up, frowning as she spotted Takashi penning something in a small black book in his hands. "Writing down a girls phone number?" she asked sarcastically.

He looked up, amber eyes dark and expression grave. "It's the names of the dead," he said quietly. "Those we promised to remember when this is all over. Like Asami-san."

"Oh," she replied, feeling more than a bit foolish for her tactless question. "So why're you writing them down now?"

"Because there's a lot of them," he stated, tilting the book to show her. It was one of those tiny, wallet-sized things usually used to record phone numbers, and he was already full on a number of pages due to his large and legible handwriting. "I'm afraid if we run into many more I'll start forgetting. And I don't want to. These people deserve to be remembered."

She scooted over to take a closer look, peering over his shoulder.

A few had question marks beside them. The idea was, he explained, if they were found alive, a possibility growing more and more unlikely as time went on, then they could be simply crossed off the list. But the list was only growing longer. Hisashi Igou, Asami Nakaoka, Hiro Tamaru, Shimada, Shouicho and Yuriko Takagi?, Maddo?, Konpaku Miyamoto, Morita, Kazu Ishii, Koga and Ayane Komuro?, Rika Minami?, Jun and Fumiko Hirano?, Tsurugi and Saya Busujima?, Kaito Maresato, Riku Maresato?, Souta Omura, Michael Jones, Remington, Rachel Lee, Cody, Yu.

She frowned as she spotted the last two names on the list, and made the disparaging remark of 'bakas' after the two security guards ill-fated attempt to stop the team during their escape from Yokota Air Base. They hadn't been very successful, but they'd almost cost the Fujimi survivors their lives. If not for some quick thinking they would now be shuffling around the ruined remains of the fortress like the rest of Them.

"God they were more annoying than Fatty," she muttered, well remembernig how they'd gone along so well with the gun otaku. Which was probably why they'd made the list despite following orders in the end and trying to stop them.

Takashi sighed as he penned in the last name, snapping the tiny book shut and slid it into the back pocket of his jeans. "You know, you really need to start being more considerate."

"Why?" she asked sharply.

Takashi glared at her from across the ship. "Because Hirano-kun and the others are working hard to keep you alive, and not once have I ever heard you thank them."

She snorted. "I contribute. Or are you forgetting it was my brains tha-"

"It's not brains I'm talking about you idiot," he replied. "It's about manners. Or didn't your mother ever teach you any of those?"

Saya's eyes narrowed to slits and Takashi realized he was treading on very thin ice, but he stood firm.

"Yes she did," came the sharp reply from the pink-haired genius after a moment of seething. "Because manners, and listening to ones parents of course, are so very important in a WORLD WHERE THE DEAD HAVE RISEN! Besides my parents may be dead now for all I know!"

He winced at that. "Well at least you got a chance to see your parents again," he replied darkly, rubbing his temples. Talking with Saya always gave him a headache. He needed to start sharp just to achieve a draw when he dueled her verbally.

"So did Rei," she snapped.

He glared at her, handsome face twisted into a dark scowl, and they quickly decided not to pursue that conversation any further. The wound was too fresh. It needed more time to heal. But even as he tried to forget, the memory slipped to the fore, and for a second, if was as if he was there all over again.

_... come on!_

Abruptly snapping back to reality, Takashi shook his head to clear it, and resumed his previous argument. "All I'm saying is, you've been luckier than most. But it wouldn't kill you to be nicer too. This isn't school, where your brains get you a rank and the teachers all fawn over you. We're probably all that's left right now."

"You think I don't know that?" she spat.

"I think you need reminding," he replied.

She fumed angrily. "Society has officially collapsed, the world is in chaos, we'll never see our friends or family again... I'll never see my Mom or Dad again...!" she choked out, holding back tears. "And I have to spend the rest of my life with the rest of you idiots! And the upside to that is that maybe that won't be very much longer! Happy now, you jerk!"

His expression changed as he saw her, haughty and proud, crack like a porcelain doll, tears streaming down her cheeks as she desperately tried to hold them back. Desperately tried to keep her calm. But she didn't, and in an instant, her emotions burst forth, and she launched herself at Takashi, slamming her tiny fists down against his chest as he grabbed her wrists to stop her. She was alternately screaming obscenities and calling for her mother.

And he just held her. Like when they were kids and the others had teased her, Takashi had always been there for her. Like a big brother, even if they weren't really related.

"Its too much," she sobbed against his chest.

He sighed, patting the top of her head. He considered lying, but knew he wouldn't fool her for a second. "I know," he simply said. "But we're still alive now. That's what's important. Don't do something you'll regret later. Because there's no undoing it once it's done now."

She sniffled and nodded against his chest, but otherwise gave no reply.

* * *

"Who builds a barricade with _Them_ on the _inside_?" asked Rei, after she and the others had conducted a thorough sweep to ensure the store was empty. They'd also found some lanterns in the camping section and set them up at strategic points to illuminate the store.

Kohta glanced up from where he was checking the bodies, seeing if they had anything useful on them. He had a theory, but it wasn't a pretty one. "I think I know what happened. Only a little of the food has been touched, and there's a stretcher laid out over here. My guess is, the people who work here organized the barricade to keep out Them, but one of them was already bitten, turned, and infected the others. Probably the old couple and the gang too, since the barricade hadn't been moved before we got here."

Shizuka finished laying some bed sheets over the bodies, doing her best to make them decent, while Alice helped by finding some plastic flowers nearby and adding a few to the shrouded remains. Saeko was on watch by the employees entrance, in case their fight had drawn any attention. So far, however, it seemed it hadn't. As far as the eye could see the parking lot was empty. Just to be safe, however, she propped up a chair to hold the door closed and left some bells atop of it. The idea being, if someone came in, they'd hear it no matter where they were in the store.

That done, they got to work. They had a lot of supplies to grab.

Kohta quickly took charge. Or at least, tried to.

"Okay, Alice-chan, Rei-san, you two grab..."

"We're going to pick out some winter clothes," Rei said, taking Alice's hand. "Aren't we?"

"Yup!" replied the little redhead cheerfully.

Dumbfounded for only a moment, Kohta turned to the other members of his team. "Okay, Busujima-sempai, Shizuka-sensei, can you..."

"Ooh look bananas!"

Kohta blinked as their blonde teacher launched herself down the aisles and into the fruit and vegetable section of the market, delighted to find some of her favorite food still in wholesome condition.

"Will you all just listen up for a moment?" he said, as loudly as he dared. "This isn't a joyride you know we're on a mission here!"

"Oh lighten up, Herr General!" Rei remarked sarcastically, flicking a finger at his flak vest, where a faded gold cluster could be found on the front, along with a name tag that most certainly wasn't 'Hirano Kohta.'

"Actually that's a Major's insignia," he clarified. "Generals use stars."

"What_ever_," she replied sharply, not giving a damn about officer ranks. "The point is..."

"Hirano-kun has a point," interjected Saeko, turning to face him after cleaning and re-sheathing her sword. "What task have you for me?"

Grateful at least someone was respecting the chain-of-command (such as it was) he turned to her. "We're going to gather everything in some carts and put them by the exit. Food, clothing, all of it. I want you to start by finding any non-perishable foods. Canned stuff, if you can. And see if there's anything still frozen."

"Anything refrigerated probably went bad some time ago," Rei reminded him.

"Ooh! Ooh!" said Shizuka, bouncing up and down like a little kid and waving her arm. "I found some milk earlier, it's in the front!"

"Fresh?" asked Rei, even as she and Saeko followed her. The blonde nurse led them to a small area near the barricade where the survivors had probably been trying to ilk out a meager existence before they'd succumbed to the disease. As it was, they found one of the portable, battery-operated generators and a few small fridges running fine to the side. Within, an assortment of items that still seemed fresh to them, including milks, water, and soda.

Rei wrinkled her nose a little at the sight of it. "I'm not very fond of milk," she said, which was an understatement, considering she'd hated it as a kid. Saeko had similar reservations, even knowing full well how good the substance was for you.

"Milk is good for you. Helps you grow big and strong!" declared Shizuka, lifting up an arm to flex her muscles, and coincidently (and likely unintentionally) making her full bosom bounce freely from the movement.

Saeko and Rei shared a glance between one another a moment, and then immediately grabbed some cartons, and a few plastic bottles of wholesome milk. For their health, of course.

* * *

It was almost a full two hours later when Kohta clanged a pair of pots together to get everyone's attention, and they all met together back by the barricade and their shopping carts, some of which were now filled to the brim. In fact, he was concerned they wouldn't be able to fit a lot of what they'd taken in the Mimei, even if they had a big feast when they got back. Some if it was going to have to stay behind.

"Any ammunition?" asked Rei, noting a curious gap in their inventory.

Kohta shook his head. "Sporting goods section only had airsoft guns and the like, nothing we can use. I'm not really surprised, little kids come in here."

"Hey!"

He chuckled and reached out to ruffle the offended redheads' hair. "Not all little kids are mature like Alice-chan."

Satisfied, she smiled.

"Do we really need stuff like this?" Shizuka asked, holding up a box of twinkies. "Its not very healthy."

"Takashi-kun likes them," said Rei softly.

"And what of these?" asked Alice, tugging up on one of the fishing rods.

Kohta shrugged. "Give a man a fish he eats for a day..."

"... teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime," completed Shizuka. "Good idea, Hirano-kun!"

And so the debate went on, and as soon as one person decided they didn't need or have room for one thing, another person wanted it right back in the carts. After a moment, some of them were even shouting at one another, trying to emphasize one point or another. Alice, completely lost by some of their logistics, just sat back and waited for the adults to sort everything out, and leaned back against one of the propped up porch chairs near the barricade. However, as she plopped into her seat, the back of it bumped against an old-fashioned stereo resting against atop of a cardboard box, and toppled over with a clatter that caught everyone's attention.

As did what came next. As Alice's fumble had knocked the 'on' switch of the radio on, and it crackled to life.

"_... at noo-..._" Static. "_... out..._" More static. "... –ear me..." And yet more static. Frowning curiously, Kohta reached down and pushed the radio back, tilting its antenna, and adjusting the dial to get a better tune in on the frequency.

"_... at noon. Repeat, there is safe haven at coordinates 26'30 North by 127'56 East. This is the Kumejima settlement, broadcasting on all frequencies. We have no infection here, everyone is clean. There is abundant food here, and no fallout. This is a safe haven. We offer safety and security. And you are welcome to come and be a part of it. If anyone can hear me. Message transmitted on-..._"

What followed was a date that it took them a few minutes to recognize, since most of them had lost track at that point. Shizuka took down a nearby calendar and began checking through it.

"It's a signal... there are other survivors," breathed Kohta, hardly daring to believe. "They're still alive."

"And they changed the date," added Shizuka. "That one they gave was only three days ago. If they do that every so often, it means they're still safe. Not infected, I mean."

"Three days is a long time not to update their message," Rei replied skeptically.

"Oh come on, listen to them!" shouted Kohta, all but getting right up in her face. "Safe haven, food, shelter, none of Them! It's perfect!"

"I think this decision may need to be brought to the others as well," she replied evenly.

Recognizing the wisdom of that, and convinced Saya and Takashi would back him up, Kohta nodded, and turned off the radio to conserve power as he added it to their supplies.

"Will that fit?"

"It has to."

They'd found an impossibly old car in the parking lot still in working condition. It was impossibly beat up and dented, but it worked. And they managed to load almost everything they had into the back and side seats, since it was so small it had almost no trunk space. Shizuka would drive it back to the docks while the others went on foot as an armed escort. So for now it was in the back of the building by the loading bay.

However, they were loading the last of their supplies when more trouble showed up.

It was mid-afternoon or so, they started to hear a noise out in the parking lot.

* * *

Shizuka was trying to organize a few bundles of clothing with the fishing supplies they'd taken, trying to find a way to make everything fit neatly into the back of the car while Kohta got the last load. Some would argue that it would be wiser to wait for the last of it before you started to sort and organize. But not many would make such an argument with the sight of the lovely blonde bent over at the waist, leaning in under the rear door of the car.

As it was, she almost bumped her head when she first heard the sound, and realized it was tires screeching. Lifting her head and tucking back her abundant yellow tresses, Shizuka turned to see a trio of jeep wranglers driving with wild abandon down the parking lot. Two split off towards the main entrance, while the other continued along her line of sight as its drivers caught sight of her, and within seconds the red vehicle came to a screeching halt just a short distance away, disgorging its occupants.

"Uhm, hello!" she called out, even as she felt her heart flutter. They looked very violent. The sort of people she wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley.

Or a sunny one, for that matter.

Leather was the predominant clothing material, followed closely by denim, and then by metal. Some if not on the clothes, then inserted into the skin in most painful fashion. But even so, chains and spikes and studs were visible all over their outfits, which screamed rebel in every sense of the word. Half of them had dye jobs and the like, although the roots were starting to show, and many more had visible tattoos. And even scarier than their appearance was the fact that all of them, to a one, were armed. Machine guns filled their hands, and the one in back was wearing a pair of bandoliers across his chest with extra bullets. They looked ready to take on an army.

The first one out, evidently the leader, advanced on Shizuka with an ugly grin. He was taller than most, with a pair of white stripes in his hair that reminded the nurse of a skunk, and a chain dangling from his nose that did not look very flattering at all.

"Well hey there beautiful! Fancy meeting a goddess like you way out here!" Skunk-Hair addressed her in what he no doubt thought a charming manner.

"Uhm, hello. I'm Shizuka Marikawa," she said politely, even as two others joined the first, the one with the bandoliers and a shorter, dark-skinned man with dyed red hair.

But what unnerved her more was when Skunk-Hair reached into his jacket and produced a weapon. Upon seeing her reaction however, he laughed and tossed his gun back over his shoulder, not even bothering with the safety. The shortest one caught it, giving them both some room. Quickly she fumbled with the keys in her hand, attempting to find the door key so she could unlock the car behind her and step inside. She'd feel safer there. But her clumsy fingers moved too fast, and she drooped the keys, which clattered to the ground. She didn't have a chance to recover them before they were upon her.

"Now I'll bet you'd just love to join our little convoy, and you're in luck today goddess, we're signing up new recruits today. See we have this plan to rebuild the human race, and we're a bit short on ladies to accomplish our goal."

"That's uhm... very nice," she replied hesitantly. His intentions were obvious enough, especially after the encounter she'd had at the Mall. "But I'm just not interested..."

Shizuka stumbled backwards against the hood of the car in an effort to get away, but all she ended up doing was trapping herself. A switchblade found its way easily into his hand, and he brandished it menacingly as he leaned over the busty blonde.

"Now I bet a month ago you'd say 'not if you were the last man on Earth'... well...!" he gestured dramatically. "Jokes on you now, ain't it little missy! I probably am!" He and his cohorts laughed as he reached out a hand to grope her.

The click of an AR-10 caused him to freeze seconds before his hand closed on Shizuka's bosom, and he glanced up in alarm to find a pudgy kid in a flak vest and thick glasses with a rifle pointed right at him.

"Drop it," Kohta warned him from the doorway. "Or _I _drop_ you_."

Sunlight glinted against the lenses of his glasses, rendering his eyes invisible to the marauders, but it did not seem to impede his sight in the slightest. He had Skunk-Hair lined up perfectly, the cross-hairs positioned right in the middle of his forehead, despite how animated he was.

"Don't fuck with us, fatass! We need more women!" Skunk-Hair yelled over at Kohta, before turning and giving what he assumed was a charming smile to Shizuka. And if it hadn't been obvious he'd never visited a dentist in his life, it might've had half a chance. "So why dontcha come with us darlin'?"

"I'm warning you!"

There came the click of three weapons, and Kohta spared a glance out of the corner of his eye. The rest of the jeep's occupants had weapons up and trained on him, two for Bandolier in each hand and one for Shorty, plus a lead pipe for Sunglasses, who leaned up against the car.

He recognized the model of weapons they were using. They were old-fashioned Uzi .45 ACP models. They fired a spray of bullets, a lot faster than most of the weapons the Fujimi High survivors had. For good reason, if you were shooting at something, it was better to bring it down with one shot than waste sixty. Any one of Them not shot in the head was just knocked down. A spray of bullets only increased the likelihood of making a huge mess in a crowd. This promised to get ugly really fast. He kept his gun aimed at their leader's head.

Skunk-Hair laughed. "Warning me? Nice. Why don't you get the fuck out of here before I have my boys ventilate you," he said, even as he reached out to grab Shizuka's chin and tilted her head upwards to get a good look at her face.

Kohta's grip trembled, and he was sorely tempted to fire, but Shizuka was too close, and then of course there were the gang members still aiming at him. The stand-off continued for a few more moments, tension mounting, fingers poised on triggers.

Then, from behind Kohta, something small and colorful came rolling out and exploded with a loud pop not unlike a gunshot near their jeep. The gang members turned and Kohta seized the opportunity to turn and open fire, putting a bullet right between the eyes of Bandolier and taking him out. A second shot downed Sunglasses, shattering his raybans as the bullet burried itself inside of his skull. His third shot missing his short teammate, whizzing over his ear as he ducked. He opened fire on Kohta, forcing the gun enthusiast to duck back behind the frame of the door.

Skunk-Hair, meanwhile, had made a critical mistake to turn his back on his victim to assess the gunfight. And while not the brightest individual on many topics, Shizuka Marikawa was a trained medical nurse who had studied to know the nature of the human body on a very intimate level. And as such, know exactly where to hit to cause the most damage.

Seeing her chance, Shizuka's drew back her arm and clenched her fingers into as tight a fist as possible and shot it forward in an instant, hitting Skunk-Hair right in the chest where his muscles were weakest, in the solar plexus. Pain exploded in Skunk-Hair's mind, blocking out everything else as he clasped at his injured chest, staggering backwards.

"I'm sorry, you're not my type!" she screamed politely as she ran for cover behind the back of the car. Shorty, seeing his leader crippled, opened fire on her, but Kohta made his next shot count, and put him down with a bullet in his shoulder. His gun arm jerked wildly as he fell to his back on the ground, but no one was hit by the errant bullets.

By now the sounds had attracted attention, and more of the gang were coming around the side of the building in the other two jeeps, at least four, and they opened fire as they drove along, pelting the area. Kohta grabbed Shizuka's arm and yanked her inside of the frame before the two of them became riddled with bullets. And remembered to thank Alice for her timely firecracker distraction as well.

_Good thing their aim sucks_, he mused as he glanced over his shoulder. _Probably don't even own those guns_.

* * *

Unaware of the situation taking place outside of the Super Viva Home, another sort of dilemma all together was arising within the structure.

Taking the brief moment of quiet in their mission to freshen up, Saeko had retreated to the Ladies Room in the back of the store to do her business. She rather wished she hadn't, the whole place was a mess, grafitti covered the walls, some of it quite recent, for she doubted many would have written 'the end is nigh' before the outbreak had come. But she dutifully ignored it as she finished. Then she took a moment to splash some clean, cool water on her face. It didn't run for long, the plumbing was likely broken, or fresh water was running out, but it lasted long enough to help her cool off and freshen up. Showering was a rare luxury for them now after all.

However, when she lifted her gaze from the sink, she saw she wasn't alone.

Ruby red and sapphire blue eyes met in the mirror, as Saeko stood there quietly while Rei just glared at her.

Finally, the silence had gone on longer than could be considered polite, and the Busujima swordswoman spoke. "I assume you had something to tell me?"

"Yeah. It wasn't easy earlier with everyone around but now works fine," she said, crossing her arms and trying to appear menacing. "Stay away from Takashi."

_Ah, so that was what was bugging Miyamoto-san_, she mused. _Petty jealousy_.

"I was unaware he had a collar and a nametag," Saeko replied, pointedly paying her little attention as she dried her hands.

Rei lay her rifle against the countertop as she took a moment to rinse her own hands, though why, Saeko couldn't say. It wasn't like they were dirty. Maybe she was just a neat freak.

"I've seen what you've been doing. Ever since Yokota you flirt with him all the time. And I get that. He's a good man."

"Takashi Komuro is a _great_ man," Saeko replied.

"And he's not yours. Find someone else," Rei continued on, her voice raising in volume. "I saw my old boyfriend turn into one of Them, I lost my father and probably my mother. Takashi is all I have left! And I had him first, and you have no right to him!"

Saeko quirked an eyebrow at that. "No? Takashi and I share a bond. I swore to protect him. And he protects me, from myself. He keeps me calm. And keeps _her_ from taking control for too long."

"_Her_?"

"The other side of me," murmured Saeko, glancing over at the dusty-streaked mirror. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her reflection, but it wasn't Saeko Busujima in the mirror. It was a darker, scarier woman, with wide eyes and a wicked grin, laughing silently behind the glass. It was who she was becoming.

She realized someone had traced kanji into the dust covering the mirror right beside the reflection. And it seemed an appropriate title.

Shinigami. Goddess of Death.

Rei frowned at that. She wasn't exactly blind to the way the swordswoman was different when she fought. They all were. But... was she really losing her head over it? Developing a split personality? Or was this some kind of mind game to make her stop pursuing Takashi?

"Look, Takashi and me were childhood sweethearts. We promised to marry when we were older. He's known you maybe two weeks? Three? He's known me six years."

Saeko frowned at the hostile tone, and adopted one of her own. "Quality over quantity, Miyamoto-san."

Rei fumed at that remark. "Look, I'm coming out and saying it, right here, right now. I love Takashi. I would do anything for him! Anything! And I will not let you take him away from me!"

"I think _he_ should be the one make that decision," replied Saeko cooly. "Don't you?"

"He's already made it!" Rei snapped. "What we don't need is you butting in where you're not-!"

"Takashi is not your boyfriend or any other sort of thing from what I have seen."

"We're childhood sweethearts!"

"Until you found more interest in Hisashi-kun."

Rei's eyes widened in shock at that barb, which cut deep. Mostly because it was true. "You bitch!"

Neither was quite sure who struck first, which one of them tried to slap the other. It was supposed to be a harmless gesture, a way of putting the other girl in their place. But then the other blocked, or struck back, and in seconds both girls went tumbling down, clawing and kicking like a pair of wildcats, and it was only a sudden shot in the distance that broke them apart. It caught their attention instantly, both sets of eyes went to the door. They recognized that sound. It was Kohta's AR-10.

Another shot rang out.

And then sounds of a repeater which definitely wasn't in their arsenal. Their fight forgotten, Saeko and Rei scrambled to their feet, grabbed their weapons, and bolted out of the Ladies Room to join the fray.

* * *

Kohta and Shizuka retreated back into the store, back behind one of the aisles, and grabbed up Alice as well on their way, ducking out of sight behind some toy shelves as the gang burst in, opening fire pretty much immediately, though thankfully not in their direction. There was no sign of their close-combat fighters, so they had to play this wisely.

He put a finger to his lips, signaling for both of the girls in his charge to be very quiet, and turned his head slowly towards the entrance to try and get a headcount...

... and jerking his head back behind cover soon as he had it.

At least nine, maybe more. And worse, one of them had two dogs on leashes. Big black ones. Those were harder to hit, they moved a lot faster.

"You two stay here," he ordered. "Don't move, don't make a sound, don't you dare come out until _I_ give the all clear. Got it?"

Blonde and auburn locks bobbed as they both nodded, and he counted to three, and then made his move. Kohta bolted, opening fire as he ran and ducking down the next aisle. He didn't even both to wait around to see if his shot hit home. He kept moving as fast as his legs could carry him. He needed to keep up the fire but he also needed to keep the element of surprise. If it came down to a stand-up fight he was fucked.

Kohta grabbed up a box of cereal beside him and threw it further down the aisle, as if he'd kept on running, instantly drawing the attention of the gang, who opened fire on the sound. He took advantage of this to pop one of them in the chest, hurling them clean off their feet to crash into a rack of women's undergarments.

"_Let the bodies hit the floor_..." he quoted with an eerie grin, half-singing as he manuvered into position for his next strike.

This was when Rei and Saeko enter the fray, skidding to a halt at the sight of the fresh devastation. Then they caught sight of their new enemies. About the same time the punks with the semi-automatics caught sight of them.

"Hey lookie, two-for-one discount!"

"I'm not for sale!" replied Rei, raising up her rifle and firing off a shot. It missed, but she'd intended as much. She'd been hoping to frighten them. However, she had much the opposite effect. Three hoods turned and started shooting at her, and she gave an 'eep' as she dived down an aisle for cover. Saeko took off running past some bike displays in the opposite direction as a stream of lethal lead followed her.

Three of the gang broke off in pursuit of the swordswoman, including the one with the dogs.

"Careful you idiots we need the women alive! Just find that fatass nerd and blow his goddamn brains out!"

Kohta threw himself up against a wall and emptied a round in one of their attackers, dropping him like a sack of potatoes. However, he failed to notice as another one was creeping up behind him from the opposite direction, lead pipe in hand to bash the gun otaku's brains out.

"Hirano, look out!" shouted Rei, even as she brought up her rifle and opened fire.

Her aim proved to be poor, however, and the shot hit the wall beside Kohta's attacker, rather uncomfortably close to Kohta's head. The gang member ducked and weaved away from his target, startled by the explosion, but Kohta went down anyway, clutching at his face and screaming. His glasses, or what was left of them, clattered to the ground. One of the lenses had shattered.

"Aaaahh!"

Gunfire erupted from one of the hoodlums, forcing Saeko to dive down behind one of the electronics aisles for cover. As it was, computer equipment and cables came raining down beside her, along with glass as the display cases shattered. Frowning at the uncouth method of combat, she grabbed up some CD's lying at her feet. She hurled them at her attacker, a butch, short-haired woman. Seemingly the only female the gang had in their ranks. Her features bore a passing similarity to the one with the dogs, however, and it wasn't hard to imagine them as siblings.

The projectiles whirled past her head, but Saeko hadn't been aiming at her. As the woman's head turned to follow the projectiles, she left himself vulnerable, and in seconds Saeko was in motion, and another gang member was dead as her sword pierced right through her black heart. The swordswoman kicked her off and turned to engage another.

"I'm hit!" Kohta screamed, collapsing backwards against the shelf, sending canned goods rolling along the ground everywhere.

Ignoring his earlier instructions, Shizuka kept as low to the ground as she could while still running and sprinted across the floor of the store, hands up in a futile effort to protect her head from stray gunshots. She made her way to Kohta's side, grasping his shoulders as he thrashed in pain.

"My eye! My eye!"

Shizuka gently grasped his hands and with a surprisingly strong grip pried them away from Kohta's face to examine the damage. Another shot rang out overhead and she ducked her pretty blonde head down to avoid making herself a target as she took a closer look. Alice joined them, also disregarding her instructions to stay out of sight.

Ricochet from the bullet impact must've hit, rather than a bullet itself, or Kohta Hirano's head would've been little more than a mess on the floor. As it was, the left side of his glasses had shattered, and the glass had found purchase in his ocular socket. Thankfully, none of it remained imbedded in the flesh, and the wound didn't look too deep, but the eye was a sensitive area. Any damage was dangerous.

She had to act fast. First and foremost, to get the wounded away from the immediate fight.

"Come on Hirano-kun, we have to go! Come on!" she yelled over the sounds of combat, pulling on his hand as Kohta sunk to his knees weakly. All his strength seemed to desert him in the face of his pain, he couldn't focus. He couldn't even stay on his feet.

"On your feet soldier!" Shizuka shouted in her toughest, meanest voice. Which was to say, barely stern at best. However, the chosen words seemed to penetrate to Kohta's mind, and within seconds he was scrambling to his feet, fighting his pain, to join the blonde nurse and Alice in the employees lounge.

A younger punk, little more than a teenager, raised up a handgun, preparing to strike at the three of them while they were vulnerable. He never got the chance, as a sword whistled through the air, neatly severing his hand from his arm. He screamed in pain and fell backwards, and Saeko stomped her heeled boot down into his shoulder to pin him down while she slashed hard, cutting him deep diagonally from shoulder to hip. A spray of blood erupted from the wound.

She looked up just in time to see a massive black Rottweiler come speeding across the ground towards her. And it looked hungry.

Her sword went flying as the heavy body of the dog impacted against her, knocking them both to the ground, and she only barely had enough presence of mind to hold onto the sheath, twisting it in her grip and bringing it up seconds before the dog could bite at her. Saeko struggled, scabbard caught in the vicious grip of the dog's muzzle, but could not throw it off of her. Its paws tore at her outfit, and then the pale skin beneath, and it was only a matter of time before her strength failed her. Worse, she saw out of the corner of her eye the other mangy mutt sprinting towards her, leaping, maw bared...!

Suddenly a shot rang out, and the dog was knocked clean out of the air, its forward motion stopped as it hit the ground hard and did not get up again. Saeko glanced up in alarm as a feminine war cry issued forth, and saw Rei's ginger locks flash as she threw herself forward and thrust at the first dog still atop of Saeko, impaling it on her bayonet. It screeched most pitifully before it was thrown off, the bayonet snapping clean off in its body as it rolled to the ground off of Saeko.

The swordswoman looked up in surprise at her unlikely savior.

But Rei, whatever she was feeling, was keeping it inside. Her expression was perfectly neutral as she offered Saeko a hand up, which the swordswoman quickly accepted, even as she dipped down to reclaim her katana.

By now their attackers had been cut down to virtually nothing, only a single one left, a foreigner with a heavy beard. Seeing his other allies were being thinned out like lemmings, he turned and ran, sprinting towards the back exit.

Saeko grinned and she prepared to go after him, but Rei held out a hand, blocking her.

"Let him go," she said.

"What? Why?" Saeko came dangerously close to growling. She wasn't quite lost to the bloodlust yet, but it was close.

Rei raised a finger to her lips, indicating quiet, and then pointed at her ear. In the distance, they heard the sound of a motor coming on, and then tires screeching and pulling away. Rei pointed in the direction of the sound, tracing it invisibly, and realization dawned in Saeko's eyes.

"A decoy."

Rei smiled weakly, nodding, and then grimaced as she reached down to pat her hip gingerly, where she'd bumped hard into a metal clothing rack during the fight.

"Sound off!" shouted Kohta, unable to focus too well with his one good eye.

"What?" asked Rei, not familiar with the military slang.

"Say your name and your status!" he clarified. He needed to get an idea of how hurt everyone was, if at all.

"Oh! Rei, I'm okay!"

"Saeko Busujima, I am... alright!"

Shizuka and Alice confirmed they were in good condition also, and their temporary leader breathed out a sigh of relief, slumping against the nurse for support, and for once, unable to enjoy the fact as his head found itself resting against the softest pair of pillows it had ever rested in. For her own part, Shizuka did not make comment. She seemed too stunned by what had happened. All of them were.

It could be argued they'd killed before, but only Kohta and Saeko had ever taken someone's life before they had become one of Them, and that had been a mercy killing, with the victim's consent. None of them had ever killed a living, healthy person before in the heat of battle.

Now they'd killed almost a dozen of them.

And managed to thoroughly wreck the store in the process. Cases were smashed, food was pulverized, clothes were ruined, bodies were everywhere. All in all, if the place had been a mess before, after they'd taken care of the zombies, now it was a disaster. It looked like someone had unleashed a hurricane in the middle of the store, and thrown in a bucket of blood for good measure. It was a complete and utter mess.

"Let's get the hell out of here," said Rei.

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**To clarify, Kohta's never seen the original Dawn of the Dead (much like the author) and doesn't recognize it has a similar plot. He only knows there _was_ an original. And he's just a lucky guesser.


	4. 03 Rigor Mortis

**_III – Rigor Mortis_**

"_Destroying is a necessary function in life.  
__Everything has its season, and all things  
__eventually lose their effectiveness and die._"

- **Margaret J Wheatley**.

* * *

**Leaving Super Viva Home, Unknown Coastal City, Japan  
****1730 hours,  
****Z Day + 22**

In the end, they only lost a few things to the destructive rampage of the marauding gang, and nothing that crippled them. So the makeshift team finished loading the vehicle together, and headed back to the Mimei. They hadn't seen any of Them yet but the gunfight was sure to have drawn attention. And they wanted to be long gone before that happened.

Shizuka continued to drive the car at a leisurely pace down the road, since there had been no sign of Them anywhere along the way. And she did not want to get too far ahead of the others, since most of them were walking very slowly. Kohta-kun's head had been bandaged, his eyes covered. One of them seemed to be fine, but Shizuka knew that she had to cover both eyes until the left one had fully healed, or it could be further damaged. Alice was serving as his guide, holding his hand and walking with him beside the car. Trailing slightly further behind, Saeko and Rei shuffled along, exhausted from their ordeal.

"Why did you save me?"

Rei glanced at Saeko in surprise. "What kind of stupid question is that?"

"You wished I was out of the picture. It was a perfect chance to make such happen. You wouldn't even have been responsible. Just step aside and I would be little more than dog meat..."

"I don't want you _dead_, Busujima-sempai. I just... I wanted you to stop trying to be with Takashi."

An awkward silence descended on the two women. And much as she disliked the idea of pressing on, Rei disliked the things unsaid between them even more. If they were some of the last people left on Earth, they needed to get along.

That meant no more secrets.

"You said some pretty mean things back there."

"I don't hold back in a fight," Saeko replied softly, eyes downcast as they walked side by side. _Even if it's a fight of words_, she thought, but did not voice aloud.

"... they were true," Rei reluctantly continued on, earning a glance from the swordswoman. "I... I made some mistakes in the old days. I didn't choose Hisashi over Takashi but... I wanted to make him jealous. I wanted him to fight for me. To protect me, like he'd always done. That was stupid."

Saeko privately could not have agreed more, but she held her tongue in check this time. Instead, she realized she had another debt, and honor demanded she repay it. Steeling herself, she spoke.

"You saved my life, Rei Miyamoto. For that, I owe you. And the only way I can repay such is... by standing aside."

Rei glanced up sharply. "What?"

Saeko's face twisted as if she was swallowing very bitter medicine indeed, but she kept her voice steady. "I will not pursue Takashi any more. For him, I would give my life, because right now he _is_ my life. So I give it to you," she said soberly, and Rei paused in her footsteps for a moment as the implications sunk in.

"No."

Saeko came to a stop, her boot screeching against the pavement. "No?"

Rei quickly stepped up her pace to keep up, even as her tired ankles protested. "Don't get me wrong, Busu-... Saeko-san. I want to accept. I love Takashi. So much sometimes that it scares me. And maybe you do too. And I realized that, if I were you, I'd fight just as much for him. And it's not up to either of us. It's up to Takashi. If one of us wins, we're happy, but maybe he won't be. That's not fair to him."

"I... suppose not."

"So, no, I don't accept your conceding. After all... _I think _he_ should be the one make that decision_, ne?" asked Rei with an impish smirk.

And despite herself, Saeko smiled back.

The rest of the way back to the ship was in comfortable silence, as the two women leaned on one another for support, arms wrapped around each others shoulders.

* * *

As the survivors and their tiny car made it to the docks, Saya saw them and gave a wave, indicating the Mimei was safe. Takashi smiled faintly as he saw them coming back, and it looked like just about everyone. Headcount was right, at least. That was a relief.

He turned to Saya. "Listen, what happened... I won't say anything," he said. "It's none of their business."

"No it isn't," she agreed quickly, adjusting her glasses self-consciously.

Saya slipped to her feet to grab some of the supplies off the back of the car and placing them where they would go in the yacht, under the deck or in several storage compartments they'd found. Their fearless leader, however, was helpless to do little more than watch, not wanting to risk injuring his leg further. Fortunately, it didn't take long for them to stow everything they needed away, power the ship on, and guide it away from the peer and back out to the open sea. Takashi settled into the seat to steer, giving everyone else a chance to rest.

Saeko and Rei joined him by the wheel, the latter offering him a twinkie, which he gratefully accepted. Though he couldn't help but wonder what adventures they had endured to get it. It was obvious they'd had some trouble, judging from Kohta being ushered below decks by their nurse, and the state of Rei and Saeko's clothes.

"So, what did we miss this time?" he asked casually, leaning back in the seat.

Rei and Saeko's eyes met and, as one, reached a mutual conclusion.

"Not much," replied Rei and Saeko, near simultaneously.

Takashi frowned at their scripted response, took another look down at their ripped, torn, and blood-stained garments, and idly wondered what he was missing.

* * *

On very rare occasions, Saya Takagi would admit to herself that she absolutely hated it when she was right all the time.

It was getting colder out.

Long gone were the days of their swimsuits. Now everyone was wearing coats and long pants, socks and shoes. The skies were overcast and dark, pregnant with the thought of rain to come, which was enough to sour anyone's day. Playing in the sun wasn't an option anymore, and in any case, few had the energy to try. They spent all their time below decks now, talking, reading or eating. Their supplies were in good order though, they had food enough to last at least a week longer. Takashi's leg had even finished healing, leading nurse Marikawa to conclude it had been nothing more serious than a fracture, and not a true breakage. Even so, he kept off it as much as he could while it finished the delicate process of mending.

What's more, they had a goal. They had discussed it with Takashi and Saya when they'd gotten back and gotten underway. The signal, the safe haven. And although many cons were suggested, the possibilities of pros outweighed them. They were going to give it a try.

Unfortunately, their long journey was not over just yet.

* * *

It was around the fourth day back out at sea that the storms began, fierce winds howling and then great waves rising up. In no time flat it was raining, and above deck rapidly became slippery and dangerous. After an hour or so, the storm died down a little, then returned more fiercely than before.

"We should find shelter!" shouted Saya over the crash of the storm, even as Takashi took the wheel and powered up the engine.

"We'll head back to the coast! Make port if we have to!"

"Which way is it?" shouted Rei, head covered by a hood to offer some mild protection from the elements. She cast her gaze left and right, but there was no sign of land in any direction. And the sun was hidden from view above by the dark clouds.

"It's okay I know which way, we're heading west!" replied Takashi, tapping the console. A built-in compass was guiding them.

Suddenly the ship heaved, and Saya stumbled, one hand trying vainly to shield her glasses from the rain to keep them clear. But it was a hopeless battle and she knew it. Within seconds she'd be close to blind.

"Have you got everything up here?" she shouted to Takashi, despite his close proximity.

"Yeah I've got this, get below deck!" he hollared back. "Take Rei with you, no sense you all getting soaked!"

Saya nodded, grabbing Rei and carefully making their way across the slippery deck and towards the hatch. They climbed down to the crowded lower levels with the others, most of whom were soaking wet and miserable. Saeko, especially, was huddled in a blanket, teeth chattering. Only Kohta was unaccounted for, as he was resting in the smaller cabin. Low moans continued to issue forth from the room, fraying Saya's nerves.

The ship shuddered again, and Alice nearly spilled her can of soup. "Are we gonna be okay?" she asked timidly.

Saya exhaled slowly, then put on a smile for her little sister, and nodded. "Sure we are. We're just heading back to land until the storm passes. Shouldn't take long."

"Good! Can we go shopping again like last time?"

Rei chuckled at that, even as she huddled under a blanket for warmth beside Shizuka, the two women sharing body heat. "Hopefully a lot more peaceful than last time," she added.

"Right!"

Saya shook her head ruefully and stood up, stepping over Saeko's legs and making her way to the smaller cabin where Kohta was recuperating, knocking on the door a moment before letting herself in.

"Who is it?"

"Just me," she said, letting her voice comfort Kohta as she sat down on the bed beside him and closed the door to the cabin. His eyes were still bandaged while he was sleeping, but Shizuka had given the diagnosis and it was reasonably good, all things considered. His right eye was going to be fine, and his glasses had been recovered so he could still see. His left eye, however, was useless. The optic nerve had been damaged. He now had a nasty scar running through the side of his head that still hadn't wanted to heal properly. And he'd lost a great deal of blood from the original injury. It had taken him this long to get most of his strength back.

She patted his shoulder. "Feeling better?"

"No," he replied, fumbling a moment before resting his hand over hers. Without his sight he was relying on his other senses a lot more. "But I'll live."

"Good. We still need you, Hirano-kun," Saya whispered softly.

He laughed softly at that, grimacing immediately afterwards as his stomach rebelled against the motion. A brief cough wracked his frame. "Of course. I'm a vital part of the team."

"Very vital," she said. "We need you to keep us alive."

"And you all keep _me_ alive," he replied. "Give me a reason to keep on going."

She frowned at that. "What do you mean?"

"Its not important," he replied. "Just... glad I got something to do now. Life sucked back at Fujimi."

"I could've been worse," replied Saya unthinkingly, seemingly imagining he was just giving the usual teenaged 'school sucks' speech.

"I'd been thinking about killing myself," he said suddenly, softly. She started, amber eyes wide in surprise at the confession. "A little while before the Outbreak started. I dunno if it was serious or not but... my life _really_ sucked back then."

"Everyone has problems," she mused aloud.

He shook his head bitterly. "Not like mine."

She gently squeezed his hand in hers. "Tell me?" she asked. Not demanded, like she usually did. Asked. She didn't say please but the tone of her voice conveyed such anyway. He hesitated a moment, then the story came pouring out.

"You know how I got bullied a lot in Junior High and then in High School, I'm sure. And yeah, we all go through it sometimes. Stealing my lunch money, hassle me about my weight, my glasses, my interests. That's normal. But this one time I guess I pissed off the wrong guy, and these three big fellows jumped me behind the gym one day. Kept hitting me in the stomach, making sure the bruises wouldn't show up easily. And I saw our teacher was there, and he didn't try to stop it. I realized he and the others weren't going to help me, and the only one who could protect me was me. That's when I started to learn about guns. I wanted a way to protect myself, and in hindsight, it was probably because I was too lazy to learn a martial art. And sometimes I even thought about getting revenge on those bullies who tormented throughout my life. I felt like I didn't fit in. And Mom and Dad were always away on business so I didn't have much of anyone to talk to. Or to keep me in line. They even agreed when I asked to go to America to learn how to shoot. Then one day there was that news report about a school in America where kids with guns had gone nuts and killed a bunch of people, and I realized I was turning into that. I was enjoying the idea of it, I was even starting to plan it. That's why I wanted to kill myself. I thought maybe I'd come back as a butterfly," he added as a weak attempt at a joke.

"Baka," she spat out, slapping his shoulder none-too-gently. "That's never an option," she added. And was very grateful he couldn't see when realization hit her like a ton of bricks, and she realized those were the exact words Takashi had told her the other day when she'd been talking about the exact same subject. Oh, if Takashi had seen her, she would never live it down.

Grateful no one had caught her little slip-up, Saya patted Kohta's shoulder. "And if it hadn't been for you, none of us would've gotten very far on this trip," she said. "I doubt if I would've made it out of Fujimi High School alive."

"Komuro-kun would've saved you," replied Kohta gently. "Besides, without you, I doubt I would've made it far either."

She snorted at that.

"No it's true! I was just going to cut and run, I'd probably have been eaten. Or maybe I'd still put together that nail gun but without you to tell me about how They worked, I might've just gone out in a blaze of glory instead."

"Well, you didn't. And now we're here, and you're a vital member of this team. And our friend. So no more talk like that. You die and I swear I will come down to Hell and kick your ass myself, clear?"

He grimaced, being very able to picture such. "Crystal," he replied, feeling a shiver despite the mostly empty nature of her threat.

Saya smiled at that, peering down at the groups resident marksman and felt warmed by his show of trust, telling her about his past. It hadn't been easy for him, that was obvious, and she could've probably guessed as much herself. But still, he told her, when he'd probably told no one else before. Maybe not even his own parents. In the very dim back of her mind she might've recognized her growing feelings as a form of transference, that she was trying to replace the love of her lost parents with affection for Kohta. But for once, she really didn't think much of it. In fact, she wasn't thinking much at all. Her body was running almost completely on impulse as she leaned down over Kohta who, thanks to his blindfold, didn't have a clue of what was coming.

Her lips tenatively pressed against his. At first she realized she had absolutely no idea what she was doing, but that thought was lost an instant later as he tilted his head and kissed back. Warm feelings washed over them both, suffusing every molecule of their bodies with renewed joy and strength. For an instant, they forgot about the Outbreak, forgot about the horrors and the troubles, the stress and the fear and the madness. All of it melted away like snowballs on a hot summer day. They almost forgot who they were, and instead simply _were_. Together.

Then that instant shattered.

Up above, there came the sound of a shot, or a muffled explosion, snapping Saya's head back up and breaking the kiss. She failed to account for the low ceiling and bumped her head hard, and instantly jerked it back down again, clutching at it with her hands. Another muffled boom came from above, followed by spluttering and wheezing. It sounded like a car backfiring. And you didn't have to be a genius to tell what that was.

"Oh goddamnit! What else can go wrong?" Saya spat as she grabbed the frame of the door and hauled herself up and out of the tiny cabin.

He knew he should've gone after her. Should've sat up and at least felt for the cabin door. Asked the others what was going on and if he was needed. Or if he could help.

But Kohta Hirano found he couldn't move a muscle. Except to smile even more broadly.

"Saya..." he whispered blissfully.

* * *

As Saya had surmised, the Mimei's engine had burnt out. None of them could say for sure exactly why, but it was easy enough to see the results. They shut it off quick as they could and did their best to cool it down before the whole ship went up in smoke or got smothered in it. The storm didn't help much, and Rei nearly pitched overboard during one massive swell before Shizuka could grab her wrist and hold her against the railing. In the end, they managed to subdue the engine to a reasonable degree and get going under less conventional methods. Namely, the sails and rudder. Kohta climbed up onto deck, looking very piratical with one eye covered by a cloth bandage, and proceeded to give out instructions on how to guide the ship. Fortunately, they weren't far from land now. They could see the high skyscrapers on the horizon like the jagged teeth of some huge giant. And the harbor just up ahead, the docks barely visible in the darkness and the rain.

"Komuro-kun, port!"

Shizuka's cry came out seconds too late, as the Mimei slammed into the docks almost head on, and listed hard to the right, nearly pitching half of its crew overboard in the process. Grimly holding onto the wheel, Takashi directed them alongside the dock and to a position they could come to a stop, even as rain beat down atop of him, plastering his unruly black hair to his head.

Thankfully, the Mimei was undamaged, save for a dent in its side that would've been barely noticeable. Checking the inside, Saya and Kohta found no leaks, the vessel was serviceable, and everything they had was undamaged, if scattered everywhere. So they tied their stolen yacht off with its heavy chain and secured it in place, Saya slipping the key into her pocket for safekeeping.

"Okay now what?" Takashi shouted over a clash of thunder. So loud and sudden he had to repeat himself.

Smoke continued to billow out from under the hatch as Kohta emerged, using a piece of cloth to cover his face. "The engine's out for now! But it's too thick down there to see anything, let alone sleep!"

"Then we need to find some temporary shelter!" Takashi returned, getting nods from everyone. Quick as they could they grabbed what they felt they might need for an overnight, which was to say their weapons and Kohta's pack, and made their way onto the docks and out into the cityscape. Takashi took point, shotgun in hand, relying on the light from Shizuka's flashlight to keep them from stumbling in the dark and the rain. Or worse, running into a horde of Them, which the city seemed to be simply teeming with.

However, in this aspect, the storm seemed to be a blessing, because all the noise kept Them from recognizing easy prey within their reach. They stumbled in virtually any direction aimlessly, allowing Takashi's group to cut a path through and around them with a minimum of trouble, searching for somewhere they could hole up safely for the night.

Takashi felt a tug at his jacket's elbow, glancing down to see Alice pointing, holding Zeke with her other arm. Following her view, Takashi saw a fair-sized building seemingly materialize out of the darkness. And although it was subtle, he could see lights coming from within. Lights meant people, and probably warmth and food.

It could've also meant a run-in with more marauders or the kind of people who had killed Alice's father, but somehow Takashi didn't think so. Especially not when they came across a large sign just before the building, proclaiming it as 'Goshou Hospital.' They made their way to the revolving doors and stumbled into the darkened lobby. It was deserted, but there were definitely signs of life to be found within. A lantern was shining on the front desk and the air was still warm, with the smell of baking. Taking a moment to ensure it was safe, Takashi beckoned the others inside and shut the door, making sure they weren't followed by any of Them.

"Who're you?"

Takashi's head snapped back around, and he was seconds from raising his shotgun when he belatedly realized that They wouldn't have bothered to ask who he was. However, the action wasn't completely without merit, as they found a young, blonde-haired man holding a handgun and pointing it right at them. He was a bit on the wiry side, but not much taller than Takashi, making his exact age difficult to judge. He had a jagged scar running across his forehead.

"We're survivors," replied Takashi, keeping his own firearm lowered for the moment. "Just like you."

"I thought everyone in this city was dead," the young man replied. "How'd you make it?"

"We're not from around here," Kohta interjected, also keeping his weapon lowered, if still close at hand. "We're from up north originally."

"Our transportation broke down. We need a place to stay for the night. After that, we'll move on, and we won't cause you any trouble," said Takashi evenly.

Blondie glanced between them, taking in the measure of the kids with very big guns standing in his lobby, and lifted up his gun, pointing it at the ceiling as he nodded. "I'm Doctor Ryo Cheisu," he said. "Come on in."

* * *

Cheisu led them into what must have been the employees lounge, complete with couches and even a miniature kitchen. The windows were boarded up with heavy planks of wood and furniture to prevent light from escaping, and the room was remarkably well lit. Lights were present everywhere, real, working lights, and the TV was even functioning, though at the moment the main channel was static snow. Still, even the fact that they had power surprised just about everyone but Saya.

"Make yourselves comfortable for now, Dr. Hikke will be along shortly," said their savior as he set his handgun down on the countertop nearby. "It's just the two of us here since... well since the Outbreak began."

"You seem to be managing pretty well," said Takashi as he shrugged off his wet jacket, hanging it over the back of a nearby chair to dry as he tugged at his soaked red t-shirt.

"There used to be more of us," replied the blonde doctor, who looked more haggard in the light. "Seven in the beginning. But yeah, having power after the EMP hit helped. A lot of other places panicked."

"How come you still have power?" asked Alice curiously, even as she slipped off her shoes just like her big sisters were doing by the doorway, attempting to observe customs of politeness.

Saya interrupted with the answer. "Back-up generator. Every major hospital has one. They're designed to keep power flow uninterrupted in case doctors are in the middle of surgery. Or to keep power going to life-support units."

The young doctor nodded, impressed by the high school girls knowledge. "That's right. We were very grateful for the fact, but we kept it hidden by keeping the lights off and the windows shuttered for the first week after the EMP hit. Most of the bandits in the area moved on, and we saw less and less sign of survivors as time went on. I was starting to think we were all that's left, until I heard you in the lobby."

"What happened to all of your patients?" asked Shizuka.

He hesitated, clearly wanting to tell her good news, but in the end, simply said "They died."

Her face fell, and he kicked himself for being so blunt.

"We tried to make it as quick and painless as possible for as many as we could, but we were just swamped by the attacks and the injuries, it was so sudden."

"And once they were bit..." she trailed off.

Cheisu nodded. "Those first few days were pandemonium."

Most of the group nodded, well remembering their time back at the school.

"Then, after that, most of our patients had fled, and we'd survived by locking ourselves into the employees lounge. Dr. Hikke organized those of us who remained and we gradually cleared out the building. Ever since then we'd just been... surviving."

"Where'd the gun come from?" asked Saya, picking it up off the countertop to examine. Kohta was at her side an instant later, eyeing it with the critical eye of a professional.

".40 Sigma Smith and Wesson," declared their weapons expert.

"Most hospitals have a security force in case of truly unruly patients," mused Shizuka aloud, rubbing a finger against her dainty chin in deep thought.

"There was a lot of confusion during the first day or so. Most of us just grabbed whatever we could find as weapons. When it settled down I found this in the corridor, someone must've dropped it. I don't know if it was a patient or a guard or what. But I keep it on hand just in case," said Cheisu, pointedly taking it out of Saya's hands and shoving it into his pocket.

"You got a radio or something in here?" Takashi asked, scouring the countertops and furniture for one.

Puzzled, the doctor shook his head. "I don't think so, why?"

He started to reply, but Saya cut him off. "We've been trying to see if anyone is still out there. Get word on the government, the military, anything like that," she stated.

"I think there may be a radio in the front lounge, I'll go check," replied Cheisu, slipping out of the room. When he was gone, Takashi turned to Saya. He didn't even need to ask, he just raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Do we even know this guy?" she asked pointedly. "Or the other one? We should at least check them out before we blindly invite them on the quest. Besides, the Mimei barely fits the seven of us."

Zeke barked softly, as if to remind her of the proper head count, but she ignored him.

"We haven't got room for others."

"There are other boats," he reminded her. "If we get the engine fixed we might even be able to tow something."

"For how far? And what happens if we break down again in the middle of the sea between here and Okinawa?"

All good questions, and ones he really had no answers for. So he decided to burn that bridge when he came to it, if need be. "We'll check them out, if they're good we'll tell them about the signal. Then decide what to do from there."

Saya frowned mightily but nodded in agreement. Then they both fell silent as Cheisu returned, shaking his head. "No radio, sorry. Must've been grabbed up after Z Day."

"Z Day?" Rei inquired.

"We seriously using the Z word?" asked Saya, looking mildly disgusted.

"Does seem kinda appropriate," Kohta added, gaining himself some of her ire.

"Anywhere we can change into something dry?" Shizuka asked, tugging at her soaking wet t-shirt, which thanks to its white color was dangerously transparent. Beside her, Saeko sniffled and shivered miserably, wrapped up in a blanket.

"You'd have to speak to my boss," replied Cheisu.

"Your boss?" asked Shizuka curiously.

"Oh that would be me."

Everyone looked up at the sudden intrusion, and as if timed perfectly, a flash of lightning chose that moment to illuminate the form of Dr. Hikke, who limped into the room, leaning heavily on a pale white cane. It soon became obvious why, as his left foot was missing its shoe, and was heavily bandaged. A direct contrast to Dr. Cheisu, his appearance was wild and unkempt, graying hair scattering in a million directions atop of his head, and heavy stubble across his chin and cheeks. He also wore a white coat, but it was ruffled around the edges and stained by obviously repeated use and little upkeep.

"Well well well, guests. I'd say it's nice to meet you all, but somehow I doubt you've made an appointment."

Takashi stood and offered a half bow. "We're just here to get some shelter from the storm, Dr. Hikke. Tomorrow morning we'll leave, we promise."

"Oh no need to be like that, please, take a load off, settle in, sleep on our sofas, eat our food, we don't have much to go around as it is after all..."

"Hikke-san!" his colleague shouted to get his attention, stunned at his appalling lack of manners.

The limping doctor waved off his concerns. "Relax. Yes alright you can stay. I trust I've been introduced?"

"Doctor Genzo Hikke, I presume?"

"Ah good my reputation precedes me."

A rough round of coughing interrupted them, and everyone turned to regard Saeko, who was trying to cover her mouth but coming dangerously close to passing out from lack of air. Each cough wracked her frame as Shizuka wrapped her arms around her to try and help keep her warm.

"Pneumonia I take it?" asked Hikke. "She's soaked to the bone."

"We didn't expect bad weather to hit quick like this," replied Takashi, but Hikke ignored him as he examined Saeko.

"Had she been out in the storm long?"

"Oh no, we left the boat only a little while ago before we got here," said Alice innocently.

"You were on a boat? In this weather? Oh well that's completely different, no chance she could get wet in those sorts of conditions," Hikke replied sarcastically. Despite his rude tone, he was very gentle as he took quick stock of Saeko with a stethoscope, pressed gently against her chest to listen. After a moment, he nodded. "Definitely pneumonia. Probably bacteria. Cheisu, see if we have any Penicillin in storage. That should put some pep back into Shivering Beauty here."

The coughing swordswoman dipped her head to Hikke politely, thinking it wiser to conserve her air and thank him properly later.

"And what happened here?" asked Hikke, indicating Kohta's injured eye as the marksman turned to regard him with his good one.

"Ricochet," Kohta replied, as the doctor limped over to him.

"There's not much that can be done," Shizuka said as she joined him. "I checked out the eye, I think the optic nerve was severed."

"Dear, please, I'm a professional, let me have a look and leave this to the ones with real medical degrees, not those obtained by mail-order," he said without sparing her a second glance. Shizuka fumed at the implications. He had practically called her a blonde bimbo right to her face, when she was likely just as qualified to be a medic as he was. He must've been foreign, she thought. No one else could possibly be so rude.

Still, after a few moments of inspecting Kohta's eye, it seemed obvious Doctor Hikke couldn't fault Shizuka's analysis, and only said that the best they could do was offer him an eye-patch that would fit under his glasses more securely. He looked up to see Shizuka with a vaguely satisfied expression on her face and her arms crossed in front of her chest, bumping up her rather considerably cleavage as she tried not to look too smug.

And failed miserably.

"Lucky guess," he retorted.

"We could use a second opinion on Takashi as well, Doctor Hikke," replied Shizuka, very generous in victory. "He injured his leg a while back."

"Our MRI was broken two weeks ago and we haven't been able to call for repair teams, for obvious reasons," Hikke stated sarcastically. "If the kid can walk he'll be fine."

Takashi bristled angrily but held his tongue. He didn't want to be responsible for getting the group kicked out of their shelter for the night.

Fortunately, once his insult was flung, Hikke barely paid either of them any further attention. "Cheisu, how's our other patient?"

Cheisu had fetched some anti-bacterial medicine to help Saeko's recovery, and an extra blanket. She was still looking uncomfortably pale, and coughing, but hopefully both of these symptoms would fade in time. "She should be fine in a few hours," said the young man, as he took back an empty glass of water she'd used to wash down the pills.

"We may want to keep her isolated. Just for the night," Hikke added.

"Isolated?" Rei asked, puzzled. "Why?"

"If it's bacterial it could be infectious. Better to have her sleep in one of the patients rooms on the next floor."

Takashi didn't like the sound of that. "Alone?"

If there was one thing he'd learned since the Outbreak had started it was never, ever, to allow anyone in the group to be alone. Especially in an unfamiliar place. Last time they'd done that had been at the mall, and Shizuka had nearly become victim to a guy with his brain in his trousers. Since then they never let a single member of the group go wandering off alone. You always had a buddy. Or a wingman, as Kohta called it.

"I'll keep an eye on her, Komuro-kun," said Shizuka, sensing Takashi's reluctance. "Doctor Cheisu can assist me."

"He's only a medical student you know," Hikke stated, obviously deciding to take his subordinate down a peg. "Never finished school. Probably never will now."

Cheisu bristled at the insult, but unfortunately it was true. Shizuka stepped forward and between the two of them, they managed to escort/support Saeko out of the lounge and to a bed. Seeing things start to settle, Rei took Alice and led her over to a foosball table that had been set up, keeping the two of them entertained for the time being. Saya joined, intent on playing the winner. Leaving the pair of group leaders alone.

"So... got TiVo?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

Hikke smiled in a decidedly unpleasant manner. "Oh TV works fine and we've got all the channels, but most of the networks stopped broadcasting anything but the Emergency System ages ago. Unless you brought a few Blue-Rays I'd say you're out of luck."

Takashi decided to check just the same, and looped through about three hundred channels of either blue 'no signal' or the emergency broadcast system before giving up and throwing down the remote in disgust. Meanwhile, Alice gave a cheer of victory as she knocked the ball past her opposition and into the goal post. Rei's eyes met Takashi's knowingly.

She was letting the younger girl win.

Hikke had vanished, but that didn't overly concern them. If anything, they was grateful the sarcastic, rude bastard was gone. Feeling his stomach a touch more empty than he usually liked, Takashi made his way to the fridge in the back of the room to check its contents. Sure enough, it was full, but a quick inspection produced nothing of truly desirable content, save a bottle of milk. Not as nice as a soda, and he felt like he could use some caffeine, but it was healthy enough. He popped the lid and started to drink straight out of the plastic carton.

Instantly he spat it out, aiming for the sink. Sour. He belatedly checked the expiration date. Three days ago. Not too bad but it was enough, apparently. He dumped the whole thing down the sink, then poured some hot water for good measure to wash away the rotten smell.

"Day can't get much worse," mused Takashi aloud, even as he flopped bonelessly into one of the padded chairs. He was so tired...

A surprised twang greeted him as he lay back in the chair. Surprised, Takashi leaned over the side, and found the source of the noise. A guitar had been stashed behind the chair at some point. Idly he tugged it out and settled it into his lap, testing the strings.

"Huh... wonder how this got here?"

"Oh that was a patients a few weeks back," said the nurse. "Left it behind as a gift to the hospital for helping save his life. But the boss couldn't play, he's more of a drummer-"

Takashi's hand glided across the instrument. He would've preferred using a pick, but none were available, and just used his thumb. A reasonably solid melody of a popular rock song filled the air. He cut it off briefly, and even smiled when Rei and Alice applauded him.

The day was looking up.

"Any requests?"

* * *

Rain continued to pound outside of the hospital as Saeko was escorted up the stairs and helped to settle into a bed on the second floor of the hospital. She'd been stripped out of her soaking garments by Shizuka and wrapped up in a number of blankets provided by Cheisu. Between exhaustion and the medicine she'd taken she was out like a light in no time. Her clothes were neatly folded onto a chair beside her bed, and her pistol lay atop of them, but she kept her sword by her side while she slept.

Shizuka, meanwhile, had decided to go in search of food, and dragged Cheisu along as a guide. And so he went to show her the cafeteria, though they locked the door to Saeko's room first. Only the resident staff of the hospital had the keys to unlock the room from the outside, though Saeko could leave anytime she wished from the inside.

Despite all the windows and the back door being boarded up the cafeteria seemed to be in reasonably good shape. Some half-finished puzzles and a game of solitaire dominated one table, evident how the doctors had been spending their time since the Outbreak began.

Like a gentleman, Cheisu held the door for her. "The kitchen is through here, it's fully stocked. And the freezers are keeping most of it preserved."

Shizuka stepped inside and began to rummage through the shelves and cabinets, giving a girlish squeal of delight when she emerged from the fridge moments later with a yogurt carton. Then started to look for a spoon.

"Third drawer on your left," said Cheisu, sensing her question before she spoke it.

Cutlery obtained, she popped open the container and eagerly started to enjoy the contents, even as she maneuvered around some tables and chairs to find a comfortable spot to sit. Her companion grabbed a bottled water and joined her, sitting down across from her.

"So you were a doctor, before all this started?"

She nodded. "Mhm! I worked at Fujimi High as the school nurse."

"That explains how you know the kids. That's where you when it all happened?"

"Mhm! What about you? You were here the whole time?"

Cheisu nodded solemnly. "Working under Doctor Hikke. He's not really... well okay he _is_ a bit of a pain sometimes. But he's brilliant. He's even working on something now to try and fix this infection. He has been ever since Z-Day started."

"Can I help?"

"We'd have to check with him, but I'm sure he'd welcome another brilliant nurse on the case," he said with a charming smile.

She waved her spoon at him teasingly, "flattery will get you everywhere."

He chuckled. "I guess this is the part where I ask if you've seen the latest movie or read any good books lately," he said, leaning forward across the table.

She pondered this as she finished the last of her yogurt. "I was halfway through the first book on Cardiology when the Outbreak started. I'd just finished the fourth chapter the night before. Now I don't think I'll ever be able to."

"If you like we have some books on the topic in Dr. Hikke's office. I brought them in for a case once and haven't had the heart to pick them up since."

"You have them?"

"I could show you them tomorrow, in the morning... if you want that is," he finished lamely.

"It's a date!" she replied, beaming so brightly she seemed to light up the room.

* * *

It was still raining outside, buckets full pouring down by the minute, still met by the occasional flash of lightning and clash of thunder. Which was good news for them. More noise outside meant they could be louder inside without worrying about drawing Them. And each lightning flash revealed more of Them outside, not far away. Takashi tugged back the curtains to keep the light in the lounge covered. No sense borrowing trouble.

Takashi tried to fight off sleep for as long as he was able, but between the mad rush here by land and sea alike, he was exhausted. He barely had the time to lay out a blanket on the floor behind the couch and curl up inside of it for warmth. He would've slept on the couch itself but he wanted to free it up for the others. Plus if trouble broke out, he wanted to be behind cover.

A month ago, he wouldn't have thought of such things. He'd base a bed on comfort, not defense, and rarely have to worry about anyone other than himself. How things had changed, he mused, as he drifted off to sleep.

And in his sleep, dreamed.

* * *

_No one was positive what moment it had all gone wrong._

_For a while, it seemed like this was the end of their story. They were being evacuated. Shintoko Third Elementary School was practically a fortress, and everyone getting in was being screened. Rei was even reunited with her father, and the group had not seen her happier in days. They were informed that Takashi's mother had been evacuated prior when he inquired, but they'd no reports regarding the rest of the groups families. Even so, no news was generally good news, and they were in high spirits._

_Even the arrival of a familiar black striped suit and some fellow Fujimi high uniforms couldn't dampen their good mood. It seems that Shido had survived as well, which didn't terribly surprise them. He was like a cockroach in that regard, and many others beside. He seemed to be short a few of his followers, however. He was down to just Yuuki and Kurokami, the latter of whom was complaining about some pain or other they'd suffered on the way. Likely just senseless whining, because Shido didn't seem concerned about it._

_Takashi and the others ignored them, and simply fell into place in one of the unused classrooms, keeping out of the way until they could be evacuated. According to the Miyamoto patriarch, the JASDF and the USAF were sending CH-47 Chinook helicopters to pick everyone up, going from one evac point to the next. After they were full, the survivors would then be deposited at Yokota Air Base, which was preparing to shelter them for the foreseeable future. After that depended on a lot of other factors that hadn't been briefed to the police yet. But it was a start, and things were looking up ever since the Outbreak had started._

_Then, in an instant, it all fell apart._

_Somehow, They got in._

_Maybe They broke past the barricade of armed policemen. Maybe one of Them had slipped in unnoticed. Maybe someone had been bitten and joined Them in death. Whatever the case, Takashi heard the scream, and bolted for the hallway, just in time to see a woman and her infant being leapt upon by a gray monster. Within seconds anarchy ensued. The senior Miyamoto thrust his daughter into Takashi's arms and barked out for him to "keep her safe!" as he pulled his gun and made his way down a corridor to help an elderly man being overwhelmed by undead._

_"Get out!" someone screamed._

_"Help me! Oh my god help me!" came another._

_"We're all going to die!"_

_"Everyone please remain calm, the police have this under cont- aauuuuugh!"_

_"Run!"_

_Takashi grabbed Rei's hand and ran, sparing a glance over his shoulder to see the rest of his team coming with. In a crisis, they always came through and stuck together, and that's just what they did here. Unfortunately, few others possessed their sense of unity, and all around, they saw more and more of the citizens gathered being overwhelmed by Them. Within minutes, the Fujimi High survivors were also surrounded. Takashi unloaded a round into two of Them coming their way from the left and Saeko swung out her katana to decapitate another one shuffling down the opposite way. One came after Shizuka but Rei intercepted Them and impaled the ugly zombie on the sharp bayonet attached to her rifle, piercing Them clear through the heart. It didn't kill them but it slowed them down long enough for Saya to finish them with her pistol._

_Within minutes, only one of Them was left in the corridor, an older man in a police's uniform with his hat down. Saeko drew back her katana and prepared to make the final strike, when Rei suddenly grabbed her arm with both of hers and held on tightly. "No!"_

_Confused as to why the ginger-haired girl would be protecting one of Them, Takashi looked again, and felt bile rise in his throat as the undead creature's head raised for its signature moan, and he saw the face under the brim of the hat. Like all of Them, his features were gray and lifeless, eyes rolled back into the skull. But he still bore a very distinct, clean mustache and no-nonsense crew cut, as well as a familiar wiry form. If that wasn't enough, the badge on his vest identified him readily enough._

_'Miyamoto'_

_"Papa?" Rei quietly whimpered as tears rolled down her cheeks. But the undead being was blind to such and shuffled forward towards the sound of her voice, unable to resist its instinct to attack. To feed. In seconds, he... _it_... would be upon them._

_Takashi hesitated for perhaps half a moment, then stepped forward, pumping his shotgun. They didn't exactly need to worry about being quiet when the entire school and most of the surrounding area was so chaotic. He'd make this quick and clean._

_"No."_

_He wasn't the only one who turned to look. Everyone watched in surprise as Rei stepped around Takashi and lifted her M1A rifle with surprising confidence. Only a slight trembling of her knees betrayed the horror and revulsion she was not doubt feeling. But she had to do this. She couldn't let Takashi kill her father. Not after watching him kill Hisashi. She had to be the one to do it. Or their feelings for one another would take another serious blow, and she couldn't live with that. Just like she couldn't ask anyone else to do this for her._

_Rei was standing just there, and it seemed almost as if the reanimated body of her father was hesitating. She positioned her rifles muzzle to her father's forehead and closed her eyes as she quietly spoke, "Goodbye, papa."_

_He only moaned, baring teeth and raising up his arms...!_

_The 7.62 rang throughout the hallway, echoing against the walls for what seemed an eternity afterwards._

_Konpaku Miyamoto stumbled backwards for a moment, missing a good chunk of his head, then collapsed face first onto the floor. Blood splattered everywhere, but most prominently over his only daughter, who scarcely noticed. She'd already gone into shock, bright red eyes wide and staring at nothing, whole body trembling. Her rifle dropped from nerveless fingers to hang uselessly from its strap against her stomach, but she hardly felt a thing. She didn't even notice when Takashi threw an arm around her to try and guide her towards an exit._

_"Rei! We need to go now! Come on!"_

_We need to go now! Come on!_

_... come on!_

* * *

_Come on!_

A particularly loud crash of thunder split the air, and Takashi jerked awake in an instant, hand on his Beneli and automatically looking for targets. It took him a few moments to remember where he was, and slowly relaxing, realizing he was still in the employees lounge at the Goshou Hospital. He sat up slowly, but didn't see anyone else up. Most were sleeping, wrapped in their blankets and draped across various furniture. But sleep did not come easily to Takashi that night, and not just because of the storm. Something seemed off about the whole place, like there was some lingering evil in the air after a great tragedy. Unlike the previous places they'd spent the night, this place had been breached before. Shizuka's friend's house, the Takagi Estate, the mall, Yokota Air Base and even the Mimei. But not this hospital. _They_ had lived, died, re-animated, and been destroyed here. The air was full of psychic impressions of death and horror.

Or at least, that's how some might've seen it.

It didn't seem like most of the others were bothered. Kohta, like Takashi, held his weapon close at hand, even while sleeping curled up in a chair, though he'd kept the safety on, for which Takashi was very grateful. He smiled faintly as he saw Rei with her arms cuddled around Alice, who was in turn cuddling Zeke, looking not unlike one of those wooden dolls they made in Russia that fit inside one another. Only Saya was still up, it seemed, sitting by a desk with a lamp on and scribbling onto a piece of paper. She glanced over as he started to rise, setting his weapon down on the floor beside him.

"Everything alright?" he asked, his voice pitched at just above a whisper.

She nodded. "Quiet as a graveyard."

The choice of words didn't exactly inspire Takashi, and that nervous feeling was still with him, constant as the drumming of the rain outside. Constant as the beating of his own heart. He decided to go on a quick patrol to check on Dr. Hikke, the two nurses, and Saeko. Plus, he had to take a leak. He left his shotgun behind but checked and made sure his pistol was still in his jean's pocket as he stepped out into the lobby and followed the hallway to the cafeteria.

There he found the two nurses. Shizuka was lying half over the side of one of the booths, clutching some covers to her bosom and sleeping like a baby, while Cheisu was snoring softly in the chair beside her. The sight warmed his heart, but he saw no sign of Saeko, and gently reached out to shake her shoulder.

"Shizuka-sensei, where is Saeko?"

"Room 203," the blonde nurse murmured, half in her sleep. "S'okay, Cheisu has key..."

Spotting the item in question, Takashi picked it up off the table without further waking either of them and climbed up the stairs to the second floor, locating where Saeko's had been moved to. Room 203 was empty, however, and unlocked to boot when he arrived. The sheets were ruffled, however, so maybe she'd just gone for a walk, he mused. And her clothes and weapons weren't present, so likely she'd brought them with her.

Takashi stepped back into the hallway after a moment more, and realized he had no idea where to find the restrooms. Or wherever Dr. Hikke was staying. And unlike the rest of the hospital, these passageways were dark, lit only by the moonlight drifting in from uncovered windows. Still, he steeled himself and decided to take a look.

He would later come to regret this decision.

* * *

Finding the restrooms proved less of a difficulty, so Takashi relieved himself and then hesitantly called out into the Ladies Room to see if Saeko was within. No one answered, so he gave a very brief check, and then moved on. He checked the next patient room and the next, and eventually even found the office of a Doctor Genzo Hikke, but he wasn't in, and neither was their swordswoman. So he moved on, and came across the doors to a medical laboratory with some lights still on. Curious, he pushed open the doors and stepped inside. The light was coming from the far wall, where a switch was located. Apart from that he couldn't see much, so he stepped inside, nearly bumping into a table in the dim light.

His hand reached out and flicked on the light, and turned to get a better view of the room.

And almost leapt out of his skin as he came face-to-face with the gray, rotting visage of one of Them, less than a foot from his face. He stumbled backwards into the table, too frightened out of his wits to grab for his pistol. Abruptly, he realized They weren't coming any closer, and then he saw that They were restrained by a metal chain around their throat, bolted into the far wall.

There were three of Them, he now saw. Three young women, all former nurses to judge by their blood-stained and ripped uniforms. They might've been pretty once, but the illusion was ruined by their new undead status as the closest one lunged forward, fingernails grasping at the air as she tugged against her restraints to try and reach Takashi, who was well out of her range.

Somewhat absurdly, Takashi took a moment to be grateful he'd taken a leak before he'd continued his search.

"I see you've met my test subjects," came a voice, and Takashi whirled around to see Dr. Hikke standing in the entryway, leaning casually on his pale cane as if nothing was amiss. "Oh don't mind them, they're perfectly harmless," he added, misreading the horrified expression on Takashi's face. "Just don't get too close."

"What the hell is all of this?" shouted Takashi, inciting fresh bouts of lunging from the corpses, who strained hard against their chains but could not reach either of the living occupants of the room. Realizing his yelling wouldn't help matters, Takashi quieted down, and leaned well away from Them while he confronted the doctor, who didn't look the least bit perturbed as he began filling a syringe.

"They're an experiment. Not exactly volunteers but when my nurses got infected we had only a few options. And we'd already killed plenty of people. So I came up with this idea, and together, we managed to get them here and chain them up. Takashi Komuro, may I introduce you to my former colleagues nurses Ayana Fumiko, Kurohime Camataka," he said, indicating the first two, then the third, "And Sakura Foaman. Fellows in the practice of medicine."

"Fellows?"

"They're still helping me, even if it's not entirely voluntary."

"Helping you? What on Earth could you possibly need these three for?"

"I'm working on a cure, boy!" snapped the doctor as he slammed his cane down on the table for emphasis, hobbling over with the syringe and setting it down on another part of the operating table, taking a moment to jot down some notes on a nearby sketchpad. He indicated nurse Foaman with the pointed end of his pen. "I'm using this one to test various chemicals on. If I can find out what brought Them back to life, then maybe I can find out how to stop it. Maybe even reverse it. The second one I'm testing psychologically. Seeing how it reacts to various stimuli. I'm convinced burried deep down underneath all that hunger and aggression there's lingering memories. That's why those that rise continue to linger in cities or near their jobs. Because its what they did in life."

"And her?" Takashi asked, indicating the third nurse, curious despite his revulsion.

"She's my control subject," he replied calmly, finishing his notes. "I do nothing to her. And in return, she tells me something very important. She lets me know exactly how long it takes these things, whatever they are... to lie down and stop twitching."

"Saya theorized it might take a while for them to decay..." Takashi murmured absent-mindedly.

"Smart girl," replied Hikke, even as he powered up a centrifuge and set it spinning. "Almost as smart as I am. Explains why you all survived for so long."

Takashi bristled at that, insulted, but held his tongue. He didn't have anything to prove to the likes of Doctor Hikke.

"I take it you also figured out by now how this spreads."

Takashi nodded. "It's the bite. That's how they got these two, isn't it?" he asked.

A grin stretched across Hikke's face as he nodded in the affirmative. "Once the bite kills you, you're dead. There's nothing can be done then. Good as I am, I can't quite cure death. I'm working on it," he added with a chuckle, brushing a hand back through gray tuffs of hair to try and smooth them out. Takashi shivered at his casual joke. It didn't seem very funny to him. "But I'm still working on the process itself. Trying to find a way to save those who're bit before they die. Look here, young padawan..." he said, and gestured to his work table, and a particular section.

A jar hung suspended over an open flame, its contents black as pitch and bubbling ominously. Like tar pits you see on nature channels.

"And this is the fruits of my research," Hikke explained. "Basically, I take out the chemical cocktail from the brain, purify whatever should already be there, and this is what's left."

"And this is the substance making people rise from the dead?" asked Takashi, peering at the jar with morbid curiousity.

The doctor nodded. "It contains two carbon, four hydrogen, and five nitrogen, which shouldn't be possible. I've been calling it Trioxin," replied Hikke with a faint chuckle. Then, seeing the confused look on Takashi's face, rolled his eyes. _Kids these days. No appreciation for the classics_. "Thing is, this jar is inert. The substance seems to die almost the instant it leaves a human body. That's the only place its active. In the bloodstream. Doesn't seem to re-animate animals either, I've tested on the rats we catch here."

"So they're immune?"

"Oh no," he replied morbidly. "They just die. Anything this stuff gets into the bloodstream of dies... but only humans re-animate. Like my former co-workers here," he said, indicating the three chained undead, who continued to mindlessly, and rather weakly, tug at their bonds. "But that's the point."

Takashi nodded. "I get it. When all of Them are gone, its over. We don't have to worry about this happening again."

"Hopefully. If not, eh, the world had a good run..." said Hikke in an off-handed manner, launching off into an odd rant. But Takashi wasn't paying attention anymore. He was already drawing up possibilities. Of what they could accomplish when all of Them had wasted away. They could rebuild. They could fix things.

Of course that was _if_ they could manage to kill all of Them. Every last one. And that would be difficult, if even a single one escaped it could start up the whole thing all over again. And then there was the problem of sheer numbers. Saya had once done some rough calculations based on the number and types they had encountered over the past few months. Her guess was, given how fast the contagion spread, and that everyone killed became one of Them, that as of a week or so ago, she estimated at least seventy percent of the world was Them. With another five percent liable to die soon due to poor planning, suicide, or accidents, which left the worlds survivor population at only a quarter.

And if that wasn't depressing enough, it was getting smaller all the time.

Interrupting his musings, another low moan reached his ears, but to his surprise, it wasn't coming from either the decaying forms of Camtaka, Fumiko, and Foaman. Takashi glanced sharply left, past them, to a section of the operating room that had been hidden by curtains. Curiousity getting the better of him, he wondered why Dr. Hikke would be hiding this part of the lab when he clearly had no interest in concealing the fact he had zombies in here.

The good doctor moved to intercept him, and that set off all kinds of warning bells in Takashi's head.

"What's back there?" he asked.

"It's nothing," Hikke said, far too quickly, in a tone that Takashi instantly didn't believe, and shoved past him to grab at the curtain. "Its just another subject for my exper-"

Takashi yanked back the curtain, and gasped in shock.

There was another medical bed down here behind the curtain, with thick, heavy straps designed for restraining unruly or seizing patients. And the sight of anyone being held down here in those restraints, like some damn lab rat, would have horrified him enough as it was. But it wasn't just anyone on that table.

But it was _Saeko Busujima_ in those bonds, staring up at him helplessly, cheeks stained with terrified tears.

She tried to say something but a rubber gag filled her mouth, preventing more than a muffled murmur. He scarcely noticed she was stark naked, or that her clothes were lying on a chair beside her bed, as well as her weapons. Instantly forgetting everything else, Takashi moved to undo her bonds, though he had no idea where to start on the heavy straps.

Her sapphire eyes widened and she gave a muffled cry. Realizing too late he'd turned his back on Hikke, Takashi started to turn, but in an instant, the doctor was on him, one arm around his neck to restrain him with surprising strength, the other holding a syringe. Before he could even put up much of a struggle he felt the fiery prick of the needle penetrate the skin on his neck, and something hot surged. Takashi thrust out his elbow at the doctor's chest, knocking him back and off of him, and clutched at his neck as he suddenly felt dizzy.

"_Sooo sooorry weee haaad tooo dooo iiit thiiis waaay Kooomuuuurooo-kuuun..._" said the good doctor with an almost pleasant smile, as Takashi's vision started to double and then triple, and he felt like he was back at sea, fighting to keep his balance.

* * *

Dr. Genzo Hikke grinned with immense self-satisfaction, again trying to smooth out the rough scatter of gray hairs atop of his head, and straightened his tie and lab coat. The boy had been injected by his strongest sedative, he'd be out in a few minutes, and then he'd strap him down onto the table beside his little girlfriend.

"You know now that I think about it, it works better this way," he mused aloud. "Now I can see if there's any difference in the infection period for a male and a female of roughly the same age. It's perfect," he declared, lightly slamming a fist into his palm for emphasis.

Saeko moaned weakly behind her gag, and he grimaced at the noise. Obviously he hadn't given her strong enough of a sedative when he'd crept into her room earlier and picked her up. Then again, she'd already been mostly out thanks to the anti-bacterials and exhaustion. It'd been easy to administer. Carrying her had been slightly harder thanks to his broken ankle but he'd managed well enough.

The plan was simple. He needed to see how quickly infection spread but he'd had no test subjects. Cheisu he needed as a watch dog, or at the very least an alarm system. But these kids were perfect. So he'd grab them up one by one. He even grabbed her weapons and clothes and put them on a nearby table. He was going to say she'd run away all by herself when the boy had gone snooping. But now he was Hikke's experimental subject as well.

It was going to be slower going getting the others, he might have to wait a day for that. If they asked about these two, he had a lie already prepared.

"Decided to cut and run on their own, everyone else was slowing them down," he practiced aloud, his voice laced with sarcasm. "I know they were your friends but everyone has a breaking point. Oh I'm so very sorry to hear that."

Hikke hopped back to his lab table to recover his cane, using it to again relieve some of the pressure on his broken ankle, and turned back to see if the boy had fallen yet. To his surprise, he was leaning up against the girl's bed for support and reaching for something in his pants.

And Hikke realized he'd made a critical error. He'd forgotten to check the brat for weapons.

* * *

Takashi fumbled at his jeans but managed to yank out the policeman's pistol kept there, and pointed it at Hikke. Or at least, he tried too. He couldn't focus very well. He fired randomly, and almost instantly blacked out. The good doctor stumbled, possibly hit, then came at him full force, knocking the weapon from his hands and swinging his cane like it was a club. Takashi awkwardly blocked the blow with his arm, but stumbled backwards. Hikke took quick advantage of this and grabbed both ends of his cane, thrusting it forward at Takashi's neck as he went sprawling over another table.

The mad doctor pressed down hard, cutting off Takashi's air. Between the sedative and the cane pressing down on his windpipe, he couldn't breathe. Stars exploded behind his eyelids. He was about to lose consciousness when the doors slammed open, and he caught a glimpse of yellow and white.

"What the hell is going on here Hikke?" shouted Cheisu, lunging at the demented doctor to try and restrain him. But with deceptive speed Hikke's cane whistled through the air to smash against the blonde nurse face, breaking his nose. Cheisu stumbled backwards, clutching at his face, and in that instant, stepped within the range of his former co-worker. Nurse Sakura lunged forward and eagerly sunk her gray, rotting teeth into his shoulder, wrenching another scream from the young man's mouth.

Shizuka meanwhile darted past the chaos to start undoing Saeko's restraints, freeing her. The swordswoman scrambled off the bed and yanked the rubber ball-gag out of her mouth as soon as it was loose.

Saeko's hand snapped out to grab her weapons, but instead of reaching for her customary Muarata katana, her hand enclosed around the beretta that had been hanging from her hip since the police station, expertly yanking it from its holster and turning it towards the demented doctor. A loud boom echoed throughout the room as her bullet impacted between his eyes, throwing him backwards. Seconds later, Kohta and the three remaining girls came bursting in, drawn by the sounds of violence.

Saeko didn't even seem to notice their entrance. For a long while she just stood there, eyes vacant and unseeing, hand trembling, until low moans came from the gray figures of his other experiments, and Saeko's hand jerked. Boom! The first zombie went down. Boom! The second one hit the floor right beside it. Boom! And that made three, freeing Cheisu as an added bonus, who fell into Saya's arms. A chuckle escaped Saeko's lips as a truly wicked grin stretched across them, her eyes sparkling with inner madness. Then with an almost maniacal cackle, she stepped over the cooling body of the mad doctor Hikke and unloaded another bullet into his head. And another, and still another. She didn't stop.

Didn't even _want_ to stop.

"Busujima-sempai!" Kohta grabbed at her shoulder to steady her. "Its okay he's dea-!"

The beretta swung up, and Kohta suddenly found the unfriendly end pressed against his nose.

And it wasn't Saeko wielding it.

Shinigami grinned at the sight of the pudgy otaku, on the verge of wetting his pants as she pressed closer with the gun. She relished his fear, almost as much as the spilled blood of her enemies. Her finger tightened on the trigger.

"Saeko no!"

Click.

Kohta squeezed his good eye shut, fully expecting his brains to be splattered all over the wall behind him. But after a second, he realized he was still alive, and that she hadn't fired. Or rather, she had pulled the trigger, but the gun was empty. She'd spent all the bullets already. Seemingly without realizing this fact, she pivoted and turned the gun on the next person who'd spoke, aiming directly at Rei, who was crouched on the ground beside the unconscious Takashi.

Rei peered up at Saeko fearfully, arms wrappeed protectively around their leader's shoulders. The gesture was like a splash of ice water for the dualistic entity pointing a gun at them, and in that instant Shinigami vanished, and Saeko's warmth appeared behind icy blue eyes.

Her hand jerked as she regained control, and she dropped the spent pistol to let it clatter against the floor. No one bothered to reclaim it.

Saeko abruptly felt a chill, moreso than the horror, and realized she was completely naked. She grabbed at the covers of her bed to wrap around herself and preserve her mdoesty, and then grabbed up her uniform, desperate to be dressed. To have some sort of shield to protect herself.

Shizuka, meanwhile, had made her way to Takashi and rolled up the sleeve of his t-shirt with Rei's assistance. "Sorry to do this without your consent, Komuro-kun, but hopefully you'll thank me later..." she said, injecting a stimulant into his system to counteract the tranquilizer that Dr. Hikke had pumped into him, then helped him lean back against Rei. "Take care of him," the busty nurse whispered softly, steeling herself for what was to come next.

Cheisu had managed to drag himself to his feet, clutching at his shoulder as he breathed heavily. Blood dripped between his fingers from the open wound, which was already starting to look bad. Shizuka bit her lip. There wasn't anything she could do for Cheisu now. And they both knew it.

"Looks like I might have to make a rain check on that date, Shizuka-sempai," he said with a weak chuckle.

She sniffed, feeling her eyes start to water. "Its not fair," she managed to say, feeling a lump form in her throat, making the words difficult.

He smiled ruefully. "Never is," Cheisu answered, and then took her hands in his. A gentle, soothing gesture. Somewhat ruined as he pressed his gun into her hands.

Biting her lip so hard she almost broke the skin, Shizuka reluctantly nodded, fumbling for a moment with the unfamiliar weapon, but even she couldn't miss at this range. The resident medical student, however, just smiled at her, and turned his back. He didn't want to see it coming. He felt the cold muzzle of the firearm press against the back of his skull, but instead of focussing on that, he tried to remember the good times. Before the Outbreak. When things were blue and green and his girlfriend was alive and he was studying to become a fully qualified doctor.

He held onto those memories as tightly as he could.

"I'm ready," he whispered, eyes closing.

Shizuka did the same, not wanting to look, not wanting to hear either, but being unable to prevent the latter as she squeezed back the trigger and...

Bang!

Cheisu collapsed bonelessly onto his knees, then flat on his stomach on the ground. Very, very dead. A moment later his pistol was tossed down beside him as Shizuka choked back a sob. Heavy silence reigned in the aftermath, broken only by the muffled sobs of the blonde nurse, who covered her face with her hands shamefully. Takashi regained his feet, leaning against Rei for support weakly, his mind jumping all over the place between the sedative and the stimulant. Unable to focus.

"What now?" Alice asked, clinging tightly to Kohta out of fear and confusion. "Do we bury-?"

Takashi hesitated a moment, and then grabbed up the beaker with the substance Hikke had been researching, and smashed it against the far wall. And then he did the same with the other chemicals, and the equipment, using his arms to launch it off of the table and onto the floor where a lot of it shattered into glass pieces and metal fragments. The burner broke as well, and a lick of flame caught the far curtains which had hidden Saeko, and God only knew how many other victims. They ignited in seconds. As they watched, the flames began to crawl higher.

"We're leaving," Takashi said as his scowling face reflected the crimson glare. "Now."

Striding out of the room with a grim purpose, the survivors falling into step behind him. Their temporary sanctuary was lost, but they endured, and moved on. They took only a moment to stop by the lounge and grab their things before they left. Takashi took the lead, loading his last shell into the Beneli and priming it. Rei and Saeko slipped easily to either side of him, like twin angels of life and death. Shizuka strode up the middle, valiantly trying to wipe the tears from her eyes. Alice skipped faster to keep up with the long-legged nurse, holding Zeke in her arms. Saya adjusted her glasses, peering all around to watch for signs of trouble. Kohta brought up the rear, scanning for trouble, AR-10 locked and loaded.

They reached the doors to the hospital without incident. Only the dead remained within now.

By now the rain was subsiding to little more than a drizzle, and the sun was peeking up over the horizon. The vast hordes of Them were already being drawn by the sounds of the hospital's ringing fire alarms. Takashi and the others slipped past them with scarcely a murmur as they staggered helplessly into their own death trap. One of Them knocked over one of the lanterns off of the desk, shattering it on the floor and sending a rush of red flames up and down along its decaying figure. And the only thing worse than a zombie was a flaming zombie. It just kept staggering around until it collapsed into a pile of ashes, setting anything alight near it in the process. Indeed, it wasn't long before the hospital started to go up in flames, not just the ward where Hikke had been conducting unholy experiments.

The survivors paused at a safe distance to watch, soaking wet in the drizzling rain and a lot less encumbered than before, but alive and safe. The sounds of the destruction continued to draw more of Them, so Takashi wasted no time, and urged them all on down the street with a wave of his arm. Where they were going, they didn't know.

But so long as it was away from Goshou Hospital, they didn't care.

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**While not a direct reflection, credit goes to JM1681 and his story 'Dead Today, Gone Tomorrow' for inspiring the Rei-kills-her-undead-daddy scene.

2-4-5 Trioxin is the infamous substance from the 'Return of the Living Dead' series, which Dr. Hikke is referencing when he named it. Its not the same fictional chemical (and doesn't act like it at all either) assuming he even found the proper re-animator substance at all (and isn't just plain insane).

Also, Dave Reynolds (aka MachSabre) was kind enough to draw some artwork from the previous chapter, which can be found here: machsabre dot deviantart dot com slash art slash Commission dot com slash art slash Commission-Saeko-Shinigami-196063223.


	5. 04 Livor Mortis

**_IV – Livor Mortis_**

"Once you accept your own death, all of a  
sudden you're free to live. You no longer  
care except so far as your life can be used  
tactically to promote a cause to believe in."

- **Saul Alinsky**.

* * *

**Tanuki City, Japan  
****1000 hours,  
****Z Day + 27**

They couldn't retreat back to their stolen ship, the roads were choked with hordes of Them, and now that the rain was dying down any sound seemed deafeningly loud. Particularly when they made their way through the ample puddles of water that dotted the streets like landmines. So they had to retreat westwards, deeper into the city.

But unfortunately, no matter how quickly they moved, how often they cut through and around shortcuts and little used pathways, there were always more of Them. With numbers increasing all the time. And after a while, with all of their twists and turns to avoid them, they'd become hopelessly lost. They needed to get their bearings and a destination or they were going to be zombie food in short order.

Spotting a corner side 7-11, Takashi jerked his head towards it, keeping perfectly silent as he took his shotgun in both hands and shoved one of Them out of the way and flat onto their back. The sound of impact drew more but not as much as if he'd shot them, or smashed their skull in. Behind him, he could hear Saeko and Rei and even Kohta performing similar gestures, always shoving them away before they got too close, not saying a word.

They reached the 7-11 and found it locked, the doors stuck closed. Shouldering his shotgun and pulling out his crowbar, Takashi pried open the doors and they all filed in, then pushed against the inner frame to seal them shut. Moments before a gray hand almost slid between them, cutting them off from the undead horde outside.

"Stay quiet and look for a back way out," Takashi whispered, trusting the thick glass to keep them safe for just a little while. He grabbed at a map beside the counter of the region, which declared they were in Tanuki Coastal City. He also neatly ignored Kohta as he smashed in the skull of the store manager with the butt of his rifle.

"Exit in the back," declared Saya, returning with Saeko moments later. "Leads into an alley, seems clear for the moment."

Takashi unfolded the map and lay it flat on the countertop. "Near as I can tell we're here," he said, tapping the map. "We need to find somewhere to hole up for a bit. We can make our way back to the Mimei when it's safer."

Everyone nodded, then gathered round to peer at the map.

"So whatcha think? There's a mall down this way... we know what those are like," Takashi said.

"It's too small," replied Rei. "Might not have the sort of security we need. Plus what if They are already inside?"

"It's also considerably out of our way," Saeko added, leaning against the counter wearily. "We should try and lean towards the south so we can make our way towards the river here. If we can reach that safely, we can follow it back to the coast."

"What about heading northeast, through this area?"

"That's a residential district. Probably teeming with Them."

"Okay scratch that..."

"There's a bridge here," said Rei, tracing her finger along the map. "Head this way, cross the bridge, and make our way to the other side of the river. Find shelter there."

"What about this?" asked Alice, pointing to another spot on the map.

"That's a church... an old Christian church..." he read off the map. Then noticed what was right beside it. "And a cemetery."

"A cemetery? Seriously?"

Saya rolled her eyes. "This isn't the movies. Dead people aren't coming up out of the ground if they were dead before the outbreak started. Besides even if they were re-animating they're inside wooden coffins six feet under. No one can dig their way out of that."

"Still not exactly ideal," replied Takashi. "Plus the church was probably swarmed on day one... people looking for sanctuary would be going there."

"Prison here," Kohta said, indicating it on the map. "Thick walls, locks, bars..."

"Inmates?" queried Saya sarcastically. "Plus if it's a newer kind of prison its chain-link fences and electronic doors. Stuff that's useless to us now. Maybe here's good. Library, and it's near the park. Good visibility."

"And nothing of value inside. We'll put that on the maybe list," replied Takashi. Then stabbed his finger down suddenly. "Ah. This is perfect."

"What is it?"

"Hotel. We know it'll have everything we need for at least the night, and it's probably more than one story. We go up, barricade the stairs, we should be safe."

A sudden bump came from the glass walls of the convenience store, and they realized they'd been discovered. More of Them were starting to pile up outside, pressing hands and faces against the glass to reach their latest would-be meals. Though their voices were muffled by the glass, they'd evidently made enough noise to draw attention. And now the hands smacking against the doors was drawing in the rest.

"What if someone else already barricaded the place?" Saya asked, her voice pitched lower.

"If they barricaded the stairs against Them we can probably still get in, and if there's more people there, it's probably safe. If they're not the friendly sort then we can shortcut to this place next door."

Shizuka peered at the map curiously. "A museum?"

"Safety and security for the exhibits, safety and security for us. Plus, who would go to one?"

"Hirano-kun would if they had an exhibition on WWII military hardware," joked Rei.

They shared a brief laugh over that, but another bump from the bodies outside alerted them to their increasingly hostile situation, and so with no better options, they went with it. Bridge, Hotel, Museum. In that order. And just in time, the next undead body that threw itself against the doors succeeded, and they cracked, the top half breaking off to shatter against the floor.

"Go!" shouted Takashi, knocking over a display stand to block the route between aisles as they all bolted for the back exit of the store. Saya grabbed a bottle of spirits on the way out, shoving it into the satchel bouncing at her hip. As they entered the alleyway, a black cat hissed at them from atop of a nearby dumpster, but they ignored the feral wildlife as they ran the opposite direction.

Unfortunately, three of Them were waiting, and too closely packed in together to be moved aside. Takashi unslung his shotgun and took aim, blowing their lead attacker into gooey pieces and knocked the other two down from the shot, incapacitated for the moment. Low moans filled the air as the sound drew more unwanted attention.

"So much for going unnoticed!" Takashi groaned sarcastically as they ran. "We may as well have sent out dinner invitations!"

Shizuka spotted the bridge they'd found on the map, within running distance. "There!"

"Move!" shouted Takashi, swinging out his makeshift club and knocking another one of Them back as he ran. Saeko followed in his wake, katana whistling through the air to weakly slash at another one coming along their flank. Meanwhile the rest of them just ran. None of them were properly equipped for close-range combat anymore, not since Rei's bayonet had snapped off at Super Viva Store and Saeko was still fighting the sedatives from the hospital. But on occasion, Kohta's AR-10 would sound off, and one of their undead opponents would drop in the distance, helping to clear the path towards the bridge. Stealth was no longer their tactic, only speed could save them now. Because more and more of the city's former inhabitants began to stumble, crawl, and stagger towards them with unholy hunger.

Takashi fired off a second shot from his Beneli to knock back a small crowd, splattering the streets with dark crimson blood. Alice stumbled and slipped in the carnage but kept her grip firm in Shizuka's hand, and managed to avoid falling.

"Almost there!" shouted Takashi, taking his first actual step onto the bridge and turning to protect their left flank as a small horde of zombies came stumbling along. The others fell in and he guided them along, weaving in between the abandoned and crashed cars covering the bridge. Their attackers were far slower in comparison thanks to their tremendous lack of agility. But they were incredibly persistent all the same.

"We need a way to barricade the bridge!" shouted Rei as she took aim and fired a round from her rifle. The shot hit the shoulder of one of Them, which knocked the undead monster back, but again, wasn't enough to cause them to stop coming. Kohta's round, however, found its way right into their skull, and they dropped like a sack of potatoes.

Takashi glanced up, then down the bridge. The far end seemed to be deserted, so if they could form a barrier here, they'd get a moment of a breather. If the bridge was wooden he'd almost suggest burning it, but there was no way they could burn steel and concrete. Or cut the cables. Maybe if the shotgun still had shells he'd give a try but he was low on ammo as it was. Takashi's golden orbs darted back and forth, searching for some means to block or obstruct the bridge, but he found nothing. Until he glanced back down the way they were going, and spotted the answer. A control tower by the side of the bridge, used to open it for big boats using the river. If there was a better way to cut off their pursuers he couldn't think of it.

"Hold this position!" he yelled, shouldering his shotgun and tearing off down the bridge towards the tower.

"What? Why?" shouted Saya.

"Do it! I'll be two minutes, tops!" he replied, not looking back.

"You heard him, hold the line!" Kohta shouted, laying his rifle over the roof of a nearby car to use for cover, and unloaded a round in another approaching zombie, blowing their head clean off.

"Worst... plan... ever!" Saya grumbled aloud as she grabbed a bent tire iron lying beside an overturned car, and swung it as a bludgeon to any of Them that made it past Kohta, Rei and Saeko.

Takashi, meanwhile, reached the control tower, leapt over the short fence meant to be keeping out interlopers and kids, and scrambled up the short stairway. The door was locked but he dealt with that in short order with a round from his shotgun, blowing a fraction of the door clear off, including the lock.

He got inside... and abruptly realized he had no idea how to operate the damn thing. He quickly glanced around for a manual, digging under the panel for it.

A shrill scream split the air, and Takashi's head snapped up to see Rei knocked down onto the hood of a car by a burly undead attacker, a giant of a man with a torn face. His jaws snapped hungrily as she tried to keep him off her with her rifle, but his greater size and strength was going to overwhelm her any moment now.

Takashi's shotgun was useless at this range, so he grabbed the pistol in his pants pocket and took aim as carefully as he could. He'd gotten better, even if he wasn't a crack shot like Kohta, and all he needed to do was knock the undead brute back to give Rei some breathing room. So he lined up its head in his sights and pulled the trigger.

_Click._

Eyes wide, Takashi realized he'd forgotten to reload since he'd shot Doctor Hikke back at the hospital. He was out of bullets!

"Rei!" he screamed, preparing to leap out of the small building and go charging to the rescue.

Seconds later, a whirl of dark violet locks and the swish of steel announced the arrival of their sword-wielding partner. Her blade whistled through the air, slicing off the undead monster's arms at the elbow and letting him stumble back with a groan of despair. Rei wasted no time in planting her foot right in its belly and knocking the zombie backwards, where it collapsed onto its back. The undead creature flopped about like a turtle, unable to get back up onto its feet without its arms.

Saeko's tired grin of psychotic delight faded a moment as she offered Rei a hand up, and the shorter girl accepted, clasping hands firmly with her.

"I guess we're even now," Rei said.

The other girl nodded, then without a word she made her way back into the gray, sword carving into bodies of their enemies.

Back in the tower, Takashi was weak with relief, and quickly leapt back to the controls, scrambling to find the one that would open up the bridge. But damned it all if they weren't properly labeled. Plus, he realized with a curse, it probably wasn't operational because of the EMP! Damnit!

He kicked the useless machine out of frustration, then made his way back to rejoin the others as quick as he could.

"No good! We need to go!"

"Baka! Leave this to genius!" Saya declared, tugging the bottle of spirits from her satchel and uncorking it with her teeth. Takashi, getting the rough jist of her plan, joined the others on the front line, smashing one of the zombies heads in with the butt of his shotgun to give her time to act.

No defense, particularly one so quickly constructed, was perfect however. And although there were seven sets of eyes watching for approaching attackers, Kohta was at a severe disadvantage with only one working eye. And that one eye was focused entirely on his aim. Thus, he was wholly unprepared when one of their attackers slipped past their line of defense and grabbed at his ankles from underneath one of the cars, knocking Kohta flat onto his back. The one-eyed otaku gave a most undignified yell as he fell and lashed out with his leg, kicking hard as the zombie crawled forward, teeth snapping as it tried to gain purchase on soft flesh.

"GoddamnedSonofamotherf-!" cursed Kohta, swears blending together in a mad adrenaline rush as he hit the creature with the stock of his rifle, though it only knocked it sideways across him. It lunged forward, and he jerked back as he felt its sharp teeth dig in to his shoulder.

Zeke barked, loud and angry.

"Kohta!"

Saya shoved the bottle she was working on to Shizuka and all but bolted to their marksman's side with her tire iron, smashing hard at the undead monster's head as it tried to feast. The first blow threw it off, the second likely killed it. Third and fourth just made a mess, and she didn't stop even then. She just kept screaming.

"Takagi-sama!" Kohta shouted, rolling over onto his side. He grimaced, he'd feel that fall come morning. "I'm okay! Really!"

She whipped her head around, glaring at him angrily. Tears were already streaking down her cheeks. "You're not okay baka you got bit now you're going to tur-!"

He grinned somewhat sheepishly and tugged at the shoulder of his flak vest, indicating the spot where his attacker had ultimately bitten. It was covered.

"It... it didn't penetrate, did it?" she asked, running a finger along the bite mark. Sure enough, it hadn't gone nearly deep enough.

"Hell no! This thing stops bullets!" he said with a grin.

"You baka!" she screamed at him, though for the life of both of them, neither knew why.

Unable to ignore the warm rush of feelings she was experiencing, Saya threw her arms around Kohta in a warm, heartfelt hug. Until another body hit the ground beside them, startling them out of their moment, reminding them they were still in the midst of combat. Saya muttered another 'baka' under her breath for good measure and stood back up, though she did pick up Kohta's rifle and offer it back to him as he stood as well. When he accepted it back, their hands met, ever so briefly.

Rei, meanwhile, had run out of bullets, and grabbed up the bottle Shizuka had dutifully held on to. She tore a frilly strip from her shirt's hem, already largely ruined, and stuffed it down into the bottle of alcohol. "I need a light!"

"I have one!" came Alice's voice, as the little redhead scurried over to her, plastic lighter in hand. Ordinarily, Rei or Saya would've chastised her for carrying that, but right now they let it slide as she lit the end of the improvised Moltov cocktail.

"Clear the area!" shouted Rei, and threw it far as she could. Which wasn't very far, but it certainly worked. It hit the middle of the bridge, instantly spilling out liquid flame from end to end. Dead flesh caught fire like dry twigs, as did the various vehicles, and in seconds the whole thing was ablaze.

Those of Them who continued to follow began dropping like flies, even as Takashi and his group ran to the open streets at the far side of the bridge, slowing down to a walk only when it became clear they were safe. Behind them, a car went up in flames and exploded, drawing more of Them into the flame like helpless moths.

For now at least, they had a chance to breathe.

* * *

After their escape from the bridge, making it to the Hinoiri Comfort Hotel was a snap. It turned out this area of the city wasn't as densely populated as the previous one, most of its inhabitants were on the far side of the bridge. They still spotted the odd zombie here and there but nothing that they couldn't avoid by being quiet and taking a wide route around. Within minutes they'd reached their destination.

Twenty-one towering stories high. It would take most of Them a day to stagger up that many stairs, even if they were clear. It was a perfect tower defense for the time being. Even so, the group was cautious as they examined the lobby, the hallways on every floor, the kitchen, the dining room, the stairwells, even the pool in back. Nothing. Not a single soul, living, dead, or animated. Scarcely even a sign of a struggle.

"Creepy," Rei remarked as they finished their initial scouting on the roof of the building. There they found some white paint had been used to write some words on the roof, half in Japanese, half in English. Alice dutifully translated the latter, though they all had a rough idea what it meant beforehand.

"He-lp," she said, sounding out the word. "Pe-o-ple in-side."

The kanji said the same thing. There had been survivors here.

"They must've been evacuated," mused Kohta. "Blackhawks made it to the roof for any survivors here, then moved on."

"They won't be back," mused Takashi, glancing up at the overcast, gloomy skies. Skies empty of activity, of planes or helicopters, of signs of civilization. The team beat a hasty retreat inside, while Takashi and Kohta took a quick excursion down all twenty stories to secure the keys for the suites on the top floor.

"I miss elevators," whined Kohta as they made their third trip up the stairs, panting heavily before he'd made it halfway. But after only a little while they'd rejoined the girls at the penthouse suites.

"All the amenities of home," Takashi remarked as he unlocked a door and pushed it open. Inside, everything was in pristine order. Like the maids had come by just yesterday to clean it all. There was no power to the lights, of course, but they solved that with some open windows and candles they found, part of the decoration not normally intended to be used. And they took the chance to rest.

Takashi flopped onto the master bed, sinking gratefully into the softest mattress he'd ever known. He wished he could just lie there forever in the cloud-like covers but he had things to do, and with great reluctance he tore himself from the bed and back into the common area where Kohta was cleaning his rifle. The girls were gone, but giggles and sounds of running water emanating from the bathroom gave Takashi a clear idea of where they were. Getting cleaned up. Only Saya remained, checking the small kitchen for supplies and putting what she found on the countertop for a meal alongside the contents of her satchel.

"How's our status?" asked Takashi, sitting down cross-legged on the floor beside Kohta, who shook his head grimly.

"Not good boss," the marksman replied. "Miyamoto-san fired off her last round yesterday, you're down to your last shell, the Luger P08 is still on the Mimei..."

"We'll improvise," Takashi replied, patting him on the shoulder. "How're _you_ for ammo?"

"Down to my last two magazines," he stated dejectedly. "After that I'm just dead weight slowing you down."

"No way Hirano-kun. You're the reason we've got this far. Just means right now we need to conserve ammo. 'til we can..." he trailed off uncertainly.

Kohta felt the same way. "Not many places we can find ammo anymore, and even if we did, they're probably picked clean by now."

"Save what we have for now then. We'll conserve ammo for the time being."

Kohta shook his head. "We do need to keep an eye on ammo but we can't horde it like gold. If we need to use it to stay alive, we need to use it. Ammo is cheap. Life is expensive."

"Alright. Shoot only when we need to then. You decide when that is, we all trust your judgment when it comes to guns. And try to get some rest when you can," Takashi added. "We're gonna need it if we want to get back to the Mimei in one piece."

"And Okinawa."

"Right. That too," their leader replied as he slipped to his feet and slid open the glass door leading to the balcony. The cool breeze assailed him but he'd been through worse weather, and he enjoyed the calming influence. Outside, he could hear himself think. And he had a lot to think on. Namely, their situation, their goal, and how to make point A get to point B with a minimum of problems. Like dying.

* * *

When you were on the move in hostile territory, you quickly learned to sleep whenever the opportunity presented itself to do safely. This went doubly so for nurse Marikawa, who could fall asleep at virtually anytime. She said it was because she enjoyed the chance to dream. Not a single one of them doubted her. So they offered no protest when she asked to take a nap in the smaller room of the suite, and found Alice decided to join her, since she was exhausted. Zeke had too, after scarfing down a can of tuna Saya had prepared for him. It was doubtful he enjoyed it, but when you lived rough even the little furball wasn't a picky eater. Neither were they, for that matter, as the five still awake gathered around to eat their canned soup. Thankfully, Saya had discovered the stoves were gas-powered, not electric like more modern hotels. And thus, while the EMP knocked out the electricity, the gas was still running fine.

"How long are we to remain here?" asked Saeko quietly as she finished her meal.

"Just the night. We'll leave in the morning sometime after first light," Takashi replied. "Stop at the museum, take in the sights, and then follow the river southeast. Back to the Mimei."

She nodded, pushing aside the empty can as she finished her meal. "I will be on the roof if anyone has need of me," she intoned solemnly.

"Alone?" asked Takashi.

"... just a little while," replied the swordswoman carefully, obviously not fond of the idea herself. She slipped out of the room with little fuss.

Saya's amber gaze followed her out the door, then turned back soon as it closed. "Takashi..."

"I know," he interrupted.

They didn't even need to say it aloud to know they were on the same wavelength. The incident at the hospital, when Saeko had pointed a gun at Kohta.

"What're you going to do about this, Takashi?"

"I'm not sure," he replied earnestly, and he had been thinking on it most of the day, racking his brain for ideas. "What do you suggest?"

"Can't let this go with just a slap on the wrist. She threatened one of us."

"Well it's not like we can lock her up," Takashi said darkly. "And we are not cutting her out of the group."

"I'm not suggesting you do!" Saya replied hotly.

"Then what should I do, huh?"

"_You're_ the leader!"

"STOP IT!"

Kohta's cry cut through the bickering like a shot from one of his guns, and they all turned to him. "We have to stick together, or we're going to fall. Even Busujima-sempai."

Fists slammed down on the table as Saya turned her anger on Kohta, pink pigtails lashing about like snakes. "We're having this talk because she attacked you, idiot!"

"She was scared!" Takashi snapped.

"Stop defending her!"

"No it's not that," interrupted Kohta, much more quietly this time. Light from the window glinted off his glasses, rendering his eyes invisible. "It's the fear and the violence wearing down on her. Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. I heard all about it from my teacher in America. Its common for veterans of a war to react suddenly and unexpectedly when they're under stress. Getting tied up by a mad doctor probably qualifies."

Saya frowned, unwilling to be swayed just yet. "Its not just yesterday at the hospital. Saeko is getting to be completely out of hand whenever there's a fight going on."

"That's not fair!" Rei protested. "She rescued me when I was in trouble today."

"I can't be the only one thinking this! It's like... its like she's a whole other person."

"The other side of me," Rei whispered aloud, without meaning to. Unfortunately, Saya had very sharp ears, and pounced on that the instant it left her lips.

"What? What was that?"

Rei glanced at Takashi for support, and he looked in surprise and realization. Unfortunately, their little display didn't go unnoticed by Saya either.

"You _knew_? Damnit Takashi these sort of secrets could get us all killed!"

"Its personal!" he replied hotly. "How would you feel if _your_ dirty laundry got aired to everyone who happened to be listening!"

"I'm not a danger to the team!"

"No, just yourself," he added with a scowl.

Saya fumed angrily and stood up, shoving back her chair so violently it knocked over, and stalked over to the door.

"Hirano-kun!" she called out over her shoulder, in her most commanding voice.

He snapped to attention. "Y-yes ma'am?"

"We're sleeping in the room across the hall tonight. I'm too mad to think straight right now."

"Saya-!"

She whirled around and glared back at Takashi and Rei. And if looks could kill, they'd have been incinerated instantly. If they were lucky. "In the morning, we're leaving. I'll decide then whether or not it's as one big group or two small ones."

Kohta glanced hesitantly at Takashi and Rei but neither of them were terribly surprised when he meekly scurried towards the door with his rifle in his arms. He followed Saya loyally as she slammed the door shut once they were both through.

Takashi ran a hand through his unruly black locks, sighing heavily. "That went well." Weariness washed over him, and he realized he hadn't slept very well since the hospital, considering he'd been up most of the wee hours of the morning fighting a mad doctor and had both stimulants and depressants fighting it out in his blood. Then he caught sight of Rei looking at him with a puzzled expression, and realized he may have done Saya a disservice by blurting out his remark.

"It's her business," he started to say, but Rei cut him off.

"Yes, it is. I don't care, Takashi. If it's important I trust you to tell us. Otherwise, like you say, it's nobody's business but our own."

He sighed, grateful for that. "I'm taking a nap," he announced wearily, making his way to the master bedroom.

Rei nodded softly, collecting up their empty dinner cans. "I'll wake you if anything happens," she promised.

* * *

Saeko Busujima, President of Fujimi High School's Kendo Club, only daughter of Tsurugi and Saya Busujima, sat cross-legged on the roof of the hotel, katana resting on the ground in front of her as she meditated, the cool breeze brushing against her dark locks, her pale face. It had been some time since she had last cleared her mind so, and in retrospect, maybe that was why it was becoming so unfocussed. Or rather, unhinged.

In through the nose, she breathed.

And reflected. On the changes the past month had brought to her, to her friends, to her life. To her family, now that her blood relatives were either gone or taking their own measure of shelter in the far regions of the world. To her mind, which was continuing to fragment. She spoke not of this to the others, not even her beloved Takashi, but she could not recall all of yesterday's fight on the bridge or the hospital. Blackness filled her mind, memories were dim or hazy if she could recall at all.

Out through the mouth, she breathed.

And let it all fade away, expelling her demons as she did her breath. She was content, she decided. Despite everything that had happened. She never failed to feel so alive as she did when the cool feel of steel or wood rested in her hands. When battle was around and she fought to protect those she cared for. It was her element. It was who she was. What had happened now had happened for a reason, she believed.

_Yeah, _whispered a voice in the back of her mind._ Now you can kill without worrying about the law bothering you anymore_.

Saeko's features twitched but she remained perfectly calm. This is why she had gone to meditate after all. _I do not need to fear the law, _she thought_. Because I do not need to kill others senselessly_.

_The blood on your hands says otherwise, Saeko-chan. So does the fact that I'm here in your mind_.

_This is my body_, she thought. _This is my mind._

_Our body. Our mind._

_You're me._

_Am I?_

That made Saeko pause, unsure of how to go on. She'd known since her junior year there had been something dark inside of her, something that hungered for pain, for blood, for death. But before it had been like a wild dog, something she could lock up when it started to bark. It was much, much stronger now. Like a dragon of smoke coiled around her soul.

_Much, much stronger_, agreed the voice. Her voice.

_But only as strong as I let you be_.

She heard giggling in the back of her mind. Cruel laughter. _You can spout that psychological nonsense all you want, Saeko-chan, but you know who I am. What I am. And you can sooner ask a bird not to want to fly_.

_Who are you? What are you?_

_I am Shinigami, the Goddess of Death._

_Since when do you have a name? You're just a part of me._

_But I'm not the one who gave me the name, Saeko-chan._

_You did._

She was about to protest she'd never done such a thing when a memory came to her. One she'd not only forgotten, she'd completely blacked out for. The image of herself, gazing into the mirror at Super Viva Home and seeing Rei standing behind her. And while they talked, her hand reached up and traced the kanji in the dusty mirror.

Shinigami.

_That's who I am._

_I'm not a cold-blooded murderer_, Saeko thought sharply, a frown stretching across her pretty features.

_Aren't you?_

_Anyone we... anyone _**I**_ 'killed' was already dead._

_Kazu Ishii?_

_Dead or about to die_, she amended. Dimly, in the back of her mind, she realized she was rationalizing_. That was a mercy killing._

_And those marauders?_

_They threatened my friends_, she retorted. In the mindset of Saeko Busujima, there was no holier law.

_And don't tell me you didn't enjoy it._

_... I did what was necessary to protect myself. To protect Takashi. I shouldn't-_

_But you do! He likes this side of us, you know. Likes both of us. Said so himself._

She remembered. The side-trip to the shrine. But half true at the statements were, Saeko doubted her Takashi had any idea of just how bad she'd become_. I doubt he has any more interest in you than I do. Go away. Retrea-_

_Can't. I'm you, remember? The part of you that thrives on pain, that drinks in fear, that bathes in blood. You need me to survive._

_I can fight without you._

_Fight yes, fight well? I think not. In order to do that, you have to give in..._

_I am NOT a heartless killer. Or a monster._

_Oh yes you are, Saeko-chan!_

_I'm not!_

"Not what?"

Sapphire blue eyes snapped open and Saeko looked up to see pink pigtails, relaxing a moment later as she realized it was only Saya.

"Komuro sent me to check on you," stated the Takagi heiress, lying easily. "Not what?" she repeated. Saeko belatedly realized she'd spoken that last thought aloud.

"... not a murderer," she whispered, as if scared of being contradicted.

Saya regarded her coldly for a moment. "None of us are," she replied, almost flippantly. Even sarcastically. "If we were, we'd likely go insane."

Despite herself, Saeko shivered, and rose to her feet in a smooth motion in an effort to conceal such, sliding her katana back into the belt at her side. "We are not insane."

Pink hair ruffled in an unseen breeze as Saya pointedly took a look out across the horizon. "The whole damn world has gone insane, Busujima-san."

_And us with it_. It went unspoken, but they were both thinking it. And it was growing more and more true with each passing day. None of them put too much thought to it when they were in the thick of combat, but really, what they were doing was insane. Fighting corpses that had come back to life? Society had collapsed, the government was dead, the military was scattered and broken. It was something out of a science fiction movie or maybe a really cool anime, and yet it was real as they were. And their psyches were still reeling.

The two women stood side by side near the edge of the roof as they watched the horizon. "You should know we've been discussing what to do about you."

Not entirely surprised, Saeko just nodded. She knew Takashi would try to protect her but, at this point, she wondered if she truly deserved such. Would it be long before she turned on him next?

_Never_, she thought. But which one of them thought it?

"Obviously we can't give you over to the police, or send you to jail, or anything like that. Plus, Kohta-kun's already forgiven you, the baka. So your fate is in Takashi's hands. And knowing him, he'll say something like your own guilt is punishment enough. And we know you're a valued member of this team. None of us would have made it this far without you, Busujima-sempai."

"I-"

Saya cut her off abruptly. "But!"

Saeko's head snapped up at the sudden, rude interruption, which cut through the previously polite and calm conversation like gunfire. Saya was glaring at her, hands on her hips, eyes positively glowing.

"_I_ still won't forgive you for what you did. And I don't care how fast you are, how strong you are, how tough you are. If you point your weapon at Kohta-kun ever again... then I will _end you_."

Momentarily stunned, Saeko Busujima could do little more than watch in stunned silence as Saya turned away and, with a huff, stormed off the roof and down the stairwell.

Her threat was genuine, Saeko realized, but it did not scare her. In truth, it brought a faint smile to her lips and warmed her heart. Because it reminded her of a very important lesson her father had taught her once. One of the first lessons of swordsmanship. When you pick up a wooden blade, you train, so train diligently. But when you pick up a steel blade, have a reason to use it.

Despite the obvious gap in their power, akin to a cricket fighting a bear, Saya Takagi could and would fight Saeko if she threatened her Kohta. Because she cared for him. Just like she cared for Takashi. And those feelings were stronger and more powerful than any steel forged on Earth.

"I understand," Saeko murmured softly.

_Took you long enough_, whispered the voice in the back of her mind. Quieter now. Calmer now. But still there, still a part of her. It _was_ death, she realized. But she was life. The dichotomy that existed in all women. The dualism that existed in all humans.

_We're not insane_, purred Shinigami. _Just... different_.

_I will never let you hurt any of my family_, she replied.

_Oh please, the pudgy one tried to stop me from having my fun, but we knew that gun was empty._

_Good. Because if Saya ever needs to enact that promise of hers, she will not have a chance._

_I will beat her too it_.

Her meditations finished, Saeko Busujima brushed a hand through her raven locks and swept aside the darkness within her, breathing out once again to maintain her composure. The day was ending, the sky to the west turning crimson and lavender. She should return to join the others before they started to worry for her.

* * *

_The night before, Takashi stayed up late. But the odd thing is, he didn't remember why. Was he having fun, playing a game on his xbox? Was he unable to sleep, his mind beset with stress and worry? He didn't recall the next day at school. But he suspected it was the latter, because he couldn't bring himself to go to class. Not even the nagging of the resident bookworm could coax him out of his depression._

_"Baka," muttered Saya, storming off down the stairs and back to class before the bell rang. As an honors student, she wouldn't allow herself to be caught outside after the lecture began, not even for a longtime childhood friend. But he didn't care. He didn't care about anything these days._

_"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye," he sing-songed softly, gazing out across the courtyard at the main gate to the school. The cast iron bars that kept all the students prisoner every weekday. No one was there, of course. Not in the middle of the day. Nothing there but the falling sakura blossoms. With a sigh, Takashi lifted himself off the railing, stretched leisurely, and made his way back to his class. He earned himself a stern talking down from his teacher about cutting and showing up late, but he barely heard it. He scarcely heard any of the lecture either, his mind was a zillion miles away. He only heard when the bell rang and he got a chance to eat his lunch, and made his way down the halls towards where the roof was._

_He bumped into Morita on the way, the two old friends sharing a fist bump as they passed, and he retrieved his lunch from his locker. He was about to turn and keep walking when some raised voices down the hall caught his ear and, curious despite himself, he edged a little ways down the hall to see. It was Saeko Busujima, President of the Kendo Club. He didn't recognize the older woman with her, but judging by her age and the fact that she was already in a gi and hakama, it was easy enough to guess she was the teacher coordinator for the Kendo Club. He paused by the mouth of the hallway, not quite hiding, but not exactly announcing his presence either, and idly listened in._

_"-jima-san, please don't make this any harder on us than it has to be. We know you're our top competitor, but we can't ignore your behavior recently. You broke Yukimaru–kun's wrist during the last practice, and he's still recovering. This cannot go unpunished."_

_"It was just a mista-"_

_"Mistakes have consequences, Busujima-san. Now please, turn in your bokken."_

_The dark-haired swordswoman frowned, deeply displeased by the current turn of events but made no show of this with her actions, and instead held up her wooden sword to offer it back to her instructor, who took it back. Sensing the obvious dismissal, Saeko turned on her heel as quickly as could be allowed without seeming rude and stalked off down the hallway, right past where Takashi was standing. She didn't even seem to notice him, but he certainly noticed her. Her blue eyes were wet with unshed tears, and he almost reached out a hand to stop and ask if she was alright. But in the end, he didn't. Not his problem. Not his responsibility._

_He had enough of those as it is._

_The sound of a fist striking flesh caught his ear as he walked along, and he spotted some bullies roughing up a pudgy kid with glasses down the opposite hallway. What was the kids name? Koda Hirosha or something like that? He looked like he was really having a rough time of it. And surprisingly, it was right in the middle of the hallway. People were passing by as if it was no more an everyday occurrence around here._

_Also not his problem, he decided. Besides, he was pretty sure he'd spotted coach Takayama coming down the hallway. Surely he'd put a stop to their rough-housing._

_The day continued to move by at a blur, like movie on fast-forward with a dim blur of activity between its start and conclusion, and before long he found himself exchanging his shoes in the locker rooms, preparing to go home. He wasn't even aware of his feet moving, or the blur of the landscape changing around him. He only regained awareness later at the train crossing, when he spotted a flash of ginger and gray locks and recognized two Fujimi High uniforms, one female, one male. Their backs were to him, he didn't need to see their faces to know it was Rei and Hisashi, and he unconsciously slowed his step. He really, really didn't want to deal with either of them today. Things were awkward enough between the trio as it was. So he waited and watched instead as the train passed, the gates opened, and the happy little couple went on their way before he crossed his own._

_The next day they weren't in class._

_Or the next._

_Takashi was almost a little worried about them on the third day when he passed by his locker and found a letter within. As he unfolded it, he heard a voice narrating in the back of his mind as he gazed down at the parchment._

_"Hey, Takashi. Hisashi here. Sorry to give you so little notice but we had to leave pretty suddenly. Rei and I are likely to be very far away by now. Can't tell you where, very hush hush you understand. Didn't want our parents getting a hold of this. See we've been talking and we decided to get married. I know we're young but we really love each other very much. We wished we could've stayed back and let you be a part of it and all, but well, things are kind of complicated for the Miyamoto's right now. Political stuff. So, we hope you'll be wishing us well. Good-bye, friend."_

_Many weeks later, he found himself being dragged to a Christian church to partake in the madness. He couldn't stand to watch this, but in the end he supposed deep down if Rei had to be with anyone other than him, it might as well have been Hisashi. He'd treat her right at least. He sighed and tugged at his tie as he stood at the front of the chapel, waiting for the torturous wedding to get underway._

But... if they were eloping, why was he coming to the ceremony?

_And then there was Rei, a vision of loveliness and gentle beauty, clad in a white western-style dress and veil. It floated behind her like a cloud, or a haze of mist. The dress itself was close fitted and tight against her curvaceous figure, perhaps a little more than was necessary, and she pulled it off wonderfully, managing to be fully beautiful instead of just downright sexy. The only thing that marred the lovely image to his mind was the sight of a tuxedo clad Hisashi standing next to her, with his arm around her slender waist possessively._

Wait a minute, that isn't how the wedding was supposed to go_, he mused_. Isn't she supposed to walk down the aisle, escorted by her father?

_Takashi idly glanced around, and blinked._

_The chapel was almost empty, it was full a moment ago, but now only a handful remained. Moreover, he recognized most of them. There was Saya and her parents, sitting in the front most row. He recognized Misuzu Icuhijou and Toshimi Niki, both still in their school uniforms and sitting so close they were almost in one another's laps. And there was Saeko Busujima, looking morose, all in black and a heavy veil, as if attending a funeral instead of a wedding. And two rows back a little ginger-haired girl with bright red eyes in a pink dress, who looked exactly like Rei had when she was younger. A little sister, maybe? Beside her was a red-haired girl and her parents he recognized as next door neighbors of Imamura's. The little girl had a tiny white dog in her arms, despite the fact that Takashi was fairly sure pets wouldn't be allowed in for the ceremony. And... _was that him? What was Takashi Komuro doing sitting in the pews if he was standing right here?

Curiouser and curiouser.

_Takashi staggered backwards, reaching out a hand to the catering table behind him for balance, and turned to see if the cake hadn't been knocked off by his rough jostling. But to his further surprise and vast confusion, the cake was gone, replaced by an ice sculpture in the shape of Hisashi and Rei, which made absolutely no sense. Puzzled, he turned to see what the marrying couple thought of this new development. They hadn't even noticed, but to his further puzzlement, he thought he recognized the preacher. His usual pinstripe suit and loose tie had been replaced by a black cassock and a white collar, but there was no mistaking the glint of his wire-framed glasses as Shido Koichii proceeded to bless the happy couple._

_"By the power granted to me by the heavenly father... I hereby pronounce you Hisashi and Rei Igou."_

_Takashi looked away, not wanting to see them kiss, and found himself applauding only half seriously as scattered cheers arose all across the chapel. Sighing softly, realizing he'd lost her forever, he glanced back up... and his eyes widened in horror as he saw Rei standing next to a cold, rotting gray corpse in a tuxedo. Hisashi's eyes had rolled back into his head, and his jaw hung slack as he gave an unearthly moan. Slowly turning his head towards the girl in white who was blissfully standing by the side of an undead monster._

_He tried to scream a warning, tried desperately to shout out Rei's name, but it was as if his body was suddenly heavy and sluggish, and the words stuck in his throat. He managed to stretch out a hand, but the other him grabbed his arm to stop him. _Not our problem, remember?_ In horrifying slow motion he watched as the gray lips of Hisashi parted and he gave another eerie moan, his rotted teeth exposed as he lunged forward and bit Rei right in the neck, wrenching a scream from her...!_

* * *

Takashi's leg jerked, and such was his precarious perch on the edge of the bed he immediately stumbled clean over the side, collapsing hard against the ground. Fortunately it wasn't high off the ground, but it still hurt, further jolting him to full wakefulness. He was grateful, for it helped throw into sharp contrast the awful dream he'd just had to the reality that was here and now. But even so, he couldn't shake it. It had been so vivid. And so very, very disturbing.

Sigmund Freud would be having a field day, he suspected as he clutched at his aching back.

"You alright Takashi?"

He glanced up, spotting Rei just entering the room, Saeko following close behind. The two girls had exchange their normal garments for some comfortable white yukata's which belonged to the hotel. This was readily evident by the hotel logo stitched into the side of each one. He felt his face redden as he noticed just how short they were, readily showing off an abundance of shapely leg. Several weeks of running and fighting had obviously done much to tone those legs. They also carried with them some tiny bottles he recognized almost instantly.

"The rooms have mini-bars," Rei said softly, sensing his unasked question. "We figured it'd be a shame to let it all go to waste."

He nodded, readily agreeing with her logic as he climbed to his feet and sat back down on the bed. "That, and if ever there was a good reason to drink," Takashi added, glancing out the nearby glass door to the balcony, and through to the ruined city beyond.

Rei nodded, sitting down on the edge of the bed and offering Takashi a glass.

"Just don't tell my Mom," he added as an afterthought, drawing out giggles from both of his beautiful companions. It filled the air like music, and washed away at least a little of his troubles with its soothing melody.

Saeko poured the sake with a practiced grace, as if she was serving at a tea ceremony, while Takashi downed a shot of Everclear. He'd hoped the strong alcohol would help to wash away the horrible dream he'd just had. It certainly helped jolt him further awake, if nothing else.

Meanwhile, Rei started choking, and he softly patted her back. She'd tried sipping the strong alcohol like it was water.

"You're not supposed to taste," he explained. "That's why it's so powerful. Its supposed to hit you all at once."

"Oooh. Takashi-kun is so smart," murmured Rei, eliciting giggles from Saeko, who was watching the two of them with a bemused expression. Then she gave a hiccup and instantly turned bright red at her social gaff, and that set the two of them laughing.

And one drink followed another, and before too long all three of them were bleary-eyed and rosy-cheeked and had never felt happier or warmer in their entire lives. Laughter flowed as easily as the drink, and it was only the thought of Shizuka and Alice sleeping in the other room that kept them reasonably quiet.

"Mm, I love my Taa-kaa-shii," sang Rei as she rested on the bed beside him. Her yukata was slipping open, almost indecently, but he couldn't quite bring himself to tell her. Or even close it for himself.

"Rei..." he murmured, leaning down.

Coincidently, the same moment she was leaning up. "Taka-"

At first neither of them comprehended why they'd both been cut off from speaking, except to find something obstructing their lips. It took a few seconds for thoughts to process through their alcohol-laden brains to recognize that their lips were, in fact, blocking each other's. They were kissing. But neither of them felt any need to draw back, they were enjoying it. It tasted sweeter than any sort of wine or spirits in all of the wide world.

"Takashi..."

Amber eyes snapped open as he abruptly remembered they had an audience, and his head snapped up to see Saeko peering at him with an unreadable expression. _Oh man, not good_, he thought.

"I uh, well, I, uh... I... uh, well... you se-"

"... me too," she finished, leaning in and closing her eyes.

Takashi slammed on the mental brakes, but his mind still crashed hard. Of all the possible things he could've expected her to say, or do, this was about as likely as the sky coming crashing down atop of them. Or a zombie apocalypse, but then again...

"Go on you idiot, kiss her," Rei said, swatting his shoulder to spur him into action. Takashi blinked in surprise, frozen by the implications behind her words, and Saeko seized the opening in his defense to lean in and claim her kiss with the utmost gentleness, leaning back after a second that seemed to last an eternity.

He looked from one to the other, his lips still tingling, but he couldn't find his voice. Hell he couldn't string together a coherent sentence right now. Then they both started speaking.

"Takashi, we've been talking."

"And we've reached a decision."

"We know you think you have to choose one of us."

"Or neither of us."

"Which is fine."

"Though we hope you don't."

"But there's another option."

Takashi swallowed nervously as he leaned back against the headrest, feeling almost a little trapped by the closeness of the two sensual beauties leaning in towards him. "Oh yeah?" he managed. "What's that?"

They replied simultaneously.

"Both."

His eyes could not get wider without falling out of his head, and he could almost feel his jaw hit the ground.

"It makes sense," intoned Rei. "We both care for you and you care for us. And we're willing to share in that because it means we'll always have someone there for each other."

Saeko nodded. "From a practical viewpoint it makes sense as well. Even if we are not the last living humans in the world, the population has been vastly depleted. Genetic diversity will help to strengthen it again."

"But we're not pressuring you. It's your choice," Rei said firmly.

"I... I dunno," he replied hesitantly. "I mean, yeah its... it sounds nice... incredible even," he trailed off, thinking for a moment just how absurdly lucky he should've felt. But really his heart was pounding and his stomach felt like it had a horde of snakes nesting in it. He was terrified. "But I, I dunno if I could... I mean if that could be... fair to both of you, I mean."

"We trust your judgment," intoned Saeko tenderly.

Rei nodded in agreement. "We've trusted you with our lives, after all. We're ready to trust you with our hearts too."

He brushed a hand through thick black locks. "I do care for you both. Really. And I want this to work so you're both happy but... can we take it slow? See how it goes?"

"Of course."

Smiling, he leaned in, and softly kissed both of them on the cheek. He'd intended only a gentle, chaste display of affection to show his gratefulness for the turn of events, but when he had finished, Rei leaned in and kissed him full on the lips. And then to be fair he kissed Saeko so he wasn't showing favoritism. And it continued to escalate from there. Affection and alcohol alike were flowing through their veins with such intensity it scared them more than a little. But they'd conquered fear before. Many, many, many times since their trip had begun. They welcomed the feeling. Because it meant they were alive.

In fact, in almost no time at all, Takashi realized it was getting darker, and saw that the candle lighting the room had gone out. Now only the pale moonlight outside lit up the room. Even without a clock, it was easy to tell it was very late indeed.

"I guess you two'll probably be needing to sleep as well," he murmured, feeling weary despite his nap. Or perhaps because of it. It hadn't been very restful, after all.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," said Rei. Saeko nodded, and without a word, both girls started to disrobe.

Takashi felt his eyes grow wide as dinner plates. "Hey, wha-.. I... whoa, wait a minute I thought we agreed to take this slow..." he said, his hands coming up to gently stop Rei's.

"We don't want to sleep _with_ you, Takashi, if you're not ready..." murmured Rei. "But if you'll let us... we'd like to sleep _beside_ you."

Saeko nodded solemnly. "We heard you thrashing about earlier. Bad dreams?" she asked, as a hand came up to softly stroke his unruly black locks. Grimacing faintly, he nodded.

"It is a woman's duty to comfort her man if his sleep is uneasy."

"Plus, there's not really much heat in the hotel," added Rei, blushing softly in embarrassment. "So..."

Takashi breathed a bit easier, nodding, and relaxing. The idea of sharing warmth helped to put him at ease to the idea of sharing a bed with two lovely young women. It settled his conscience, even as he privately admitted to himself it was likely to be very pleasant. Again he gently kissed both girls on the cheek and he lay back down on the mattress. He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the display they were putting on, slipping out of their yukata's. Neither one was wearing a stitch of clothing underneath. Rei tugged the ribbon from her ponytail, letting her ginger locks spill down the back of her head to caress her rounded shoulders as Saeko reached down the side of the bed to reclaim its covers, stretching them out for all three to use.

Takashi reached down and tugged off his shirt, since he'd fallen asleep earlier with it still on out of pure exhaustion, and now it was all rumpled and grimy. That left him only in a pair of boxers, and he hesitated as he glanced up at Rei and Saeko. However, after a moment, his confidence (or maybe it was the alcohol pushing him onwards) returned and he stripped those away as well, baring himself completely for them just as they had done for him. He wouldn't hide himself, though he still flushed hotly with embarassment.

Saeko and Rei, for their part, paid it almost no mind. Neither commented on it, the fact that the three of them were naked alone together in a hotel room bed. It had suddenly become the most natural thing in the world. Takashi sighed contently as he lay down on his side on the mattress, and Rei lay down with her back to him, snuggling up into his embrace for warmth. He gently wrapped his arm around her slender midsection as Saeko pulled up the covers over the three of them, and then slipped in behind Takashi to rest against his back. He inhaled softly as her felt her full bosom press, unfettered by cloth or silk, against his bare back. And he held back a groan, deep in the back of his throat, as Rei shifted, her adorable little backside pressed up against his hips, rubbing against him.

It was torture. Exquisite, anguishing, pleasurable torture.

Takashi stifled a groan as he leaned forward, resting his head against the pillow, his nose buried in Rei's ginger locks, inhaling the sweet scent of the shampoo she'd used to wash with. Saeko probably smelled the same way. It smelled like vanilla. He liked it.

The scent gently washed over the three of them as they fell asleep together. And no more nightmares troubled them.

* * *

Across the hall, Saya and Kohta had set up their own temporary shelter, the former resting on the couch, the latter sitting on the floor beside it. Silence pressed down almost deafeningly over them both, but they were both too wrapped up in their own troubles to notice one another's.

Kohta was having a minor crisis, even as he calmly cleaned his gun for the umpteenth time. Scary as it had been with a gun pointed at his head, he really didn't blame Saeko at all. And even scarier was the idea of leaving the group behind. He liked them. All of them. Takashi was an impressive leader, Saeko an able killer not to dissimilar from himself. He didn't have particularly strong feelings towards or against Rei Miyamoto, but she was alright. But Alice was like family now, the little sister he'd never had. He didn't want to leave any of them behind. But he knew that, if Saya and Takashi didn't come to terms, they just might. And he'd have to go with Saya, even if nobody else did.

No, scratch that, especially if nobody else did. She was a genius, and beautiful and stubborn and incredibly strong willed, but she wasn't a fighter. He was. And he needed her just as much as she would need him. He hoped.

Ignorant of his inner musings, Saya was contemplating whether or not the group should continue on to Okinawa. Their troubles at the hospital had driven home yet another example of how badly some people had reacted to the Outbreak and how survivor groups could be as much a danger to them as the undead menace was. It would almost be more worthwhile to cut their losses, find a suitable place to make a home, and start over. Let other survivors come to them, when they were in a fortified and well-armed position to defend themselves. She was weighing the pros and cons now, even as she turned the page of her book. She was reading the only available source of literature, since her normal reading materials were still on the Mimei. For the first time ever she thanked the fact that the hotels stocked their rooms with holy bibles.

And, she mused, it was oddly appropriate.

"And in those days men will be hoping for death, and it will not come to them; and they will have a great desire for death, and death will go in flight from them," she quoted aloud. "Revelation 9:6."

Kohta felt a chill settle over him. "Judgement Day," he breathed, correctly identifying the quote. "Do you really think this is it?"

She scowled back at him. "Of course not, baka."

He glanced up at her, about to retort he wasn't being serious when he spotted a container of Bombay Gin in her hands. From the looks of things, she'd already emptied half the bottle, all by herself, in the span of a half hour.

"Takagi-san, what-?"

"These places have mini-bars, baka," she retorted, giving the bottle another swig and swallowing the bitter liquid eagerly. "I just raided the mini-fridge. And I told you to call me Saya-san."

"Ano, aren't we underag-?"

She hiccupped, then grinned at him. "Whassamattah? Afraid mommy and daddy are going to find out? Not like we'll get arrested," she continued, tossing back another long drink.

He grimaced at her somewhat reckless display, and continued to abstain, not wanting to partake in her little alcohol cache. Apart from the illegality of it, he was worried about his aim. If his hands shook or his vision blurred, there was no way he'd be able to make a good shot anymore. And he needed to stay sharp to protect her. So instead he settled on a Sprite that was also found in the mini-fridge and leaned back against the couch as he continued to fret about what they were doing and where they were going.

His inner musings were interrupted as a body softly hit his unprotected back. For a second he freaked, wishing he'd not taken off his flak jacket. But then he realized he wasn't being attacked. At least, not by Them. He could feel Saya's soft curves pressing against his back as she leaned against him, her body warm through the thin clothes they both wore.

"Take me," she slurred into his ear. "I wanna doo eet."

The sensual way she spoke the words made them sound even dirtier, and Kohta trembled, but he slowly turned around, reached up, and gently grasped Saya's shoulders to hold her steady.

"Saya..."

"Come ooon..." she whispered, reaching down to try and pull off her shirt. He stopped her, placing his hands over hers. "Mom and Dad can't tell me no anymore, I can do whatever I want. Oor whoever I want," she giggled at her lewd joke. "Thass why I picked you, you know... back 't Fujimi... s'cause you're sso nice... and I wanted you to survive. You deserve to survive."

He'd be lying if he'd said he wasn't sorely tempted. His feelings for Saya were obvious to just about everyone in the group, and that included a seven year old. He loved Saya, and of course he considered her attractive. Beautiful, even. And not just for superficial reasons, like the breasts that a supermodel would kill for, or the legs toned from plenty of running. Or even the face, perfectly proportioned, high cheekbones and bright eyes and dainty nose, and even adorably cute thanks to the glasses she wore. She was stunning even when she was shouting. In fact, if he was to admit privately to himself, he considered her most beautiful when she was yelling at him.

But he couldn't do this.

"I can't."

"Awww whyy?"

"Because you're drunk, it's not proper," Kohta replied softly, gently placing his hands over hers and bringing them down to rest against his chest.

She fumed angrily at him, but the effect of her anger was ruined by the sight of tears forming at the corners of her eyes. Her emotions were running the entire gauntlet, going from happy to angry to sad in seconds. She lay her head against his chest for comfort as she indulged in a good cry, and he held her close.

"Please...?" she whimpered softly.

"I'm sorry to do this to you, but I have to refuse this order," he stated respectfully, as if he was addressing a superior officer. Which, in his mind, he probably was.

"But I waaant it." Her voice was so soft he had to strain to make it out.

"I know... I do too," he whispered back. "But not like this."

She didn't reply, and he peered down at her, mildly puzzled by her lack of argument. Brushing back a loose strand of bubblegum pink hair, he saw her face, her eyes closed in deep sleep. She was already snoring softly. She'd passed out.

Exhaling slowly, he took only a moment to savor the feeling of her resting in his arms before he moved. Being as gentle as possible, he shifted her onto her back, then reached down and lifted her up in his arms. She was heavier than he thought she'd be, and he'd likely have an easier time of it carrying her over his shoulder, or just laying a blanket on her on the floor, but that also wasn't proper. So it was he hefted her up into his arms as softly as he could, carried her to the bed, and lay her down. She didn't even stir the whole time, she was out like a light. And then, ever so gently, slipped off her glasses and folded them closed, setting them on the nightstand beside her. He took another moment to grab the spare covers of the other bed and drape them around her.

It meant he wouldn't have much to sleep with himself but he'd managed through worse since the trip had started. He took only a minute to check his AR-10's safety, setting it down within's arms reach as he curled up on the couch, facing the door. The only way in.

It wasn't much longer before he too was fast asleep, arms and legs dangling over the side of the furniture as he drifted off to a world of dreams.

* * *

In the end, Takashi couldn't be entirely sure why he'd passed out. Exhaustion, alcohol, or contentment were the top three culprits. But he certainly awoke feeling all out of sorts. Like every bone in his body had been surgically removed then implanted back into him by an idiot in all the wrong places. His head ached something abysmally, and his recollection of last night was dim. But he remembered enough to feel warm.

As he shifted he felt something warm resting against his side and glanced down to find Saeko's arm laying there, the rest of her still resting against his side. The normally graceful swordswoman was drooling in her sleep. Specifically, drooling on his shoulder.

Takashi stifled a weary groan as he slowly slid to his feet, careful not to disturb the purple-haired woman resting beside him on the bed, and took a moment to use the restroom. As well as get himself a drink of water to wash out his mouth. When he returned, he spotted ginger locks and very distinct antennae on the porch outside, a pale figure wrapped in some thin covers. All but her shoulders, which peeked out from underneath the pale blue cloth.

He stepped lightly out onto the terrace, wrapping an arm around her, and followed her gaze to the city below. The fire at the bridge had long since extinguished, but the smoke lingered in the air. There were none of Them to be seen, but they were around, he was sure. They always were.

"It's so quiet," Rei stated softly, leaning into his embrace slightly. "The whole city is, ever since we got here."

He nodded, his own thought process running along similar lines. "No cars, no morning commutes, no planes flying overhead... no students rushing to school... a city devoid of people."

"Filled with Them," Rei said, gazing out at the city and feeling a chill run down her spine. Takashi tightened his embrace, both to comfort and warm her.

"And they'll still be just as hungry now as they were when they re-animated... or when they rot away to bones."

"Why?" she asked, and the inflection of her voice deepened the question. She wasn't just wondering why they ate flesh, she was wondering why they even existed.

"It's their purpose," Takashi replied. "I read somewhere, I'm not sure where... that the dead come back to feast on the living until we're all dead or like Them... then just fade away. And the Earth heals itself, and starts over."

"Sounds like something out of a manga," she mused.

"Yeah... but it's real."

Takashi then spotted on the horizon the lightening of the skyline, and realized that if not for the overcast skies, the sun would be rising now.

She frowned, a little puzzled by his expression given their recent conversation. "What're you doing?" she inquired.

"Smiling," he replied, continuing to do just that.

Her eyes asked the question she did not voice aloud.

"Because I just realized something. Every time we see the sun rise after a long night, it means we've survived another day. And that's what's really important."

She smiled too then, pale lips curving upwards as she kissed his cheek, then stepped back off the balcony and back into the warm room.

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**Tanuki means raccoon, making it Raccoon City that they're in. Also, I totally call psychic resonance with the creator of HSOTD. Has anyone seen the trailer for the Drifters OVA? Swimsuits, remote island, girl-on-girl action!

Special thanks to JM1681, BlackNhite, Dante's Disciple, Never-End666, JogokuHana, the New Mandalord and DeeDubb and all my other readers for their loyal support and tasty reviews. Delicious.


	6. 05 Decomposition

**_V – Decomposition_**

"It is only when we truly know and  
understand we have a limited time on Earth,  
and that we have no way of knowing when our  
time is up, that we will begin to live each  
day to the fullest, as if it was the only  
one we had."

- **Elizabeth Kubler-Ross**.

* * *

_A long time ago in a faraway land of Fujimi, there was a beautiful Princess who was beloved by everyone she met. A kindly and virtuous child, as pure and innocent as untouched snow. But she was stolen away from the people by the evil Warlock, and imprisoned by him in his dark castle, deep in the forsaken realm he called home. All around his fortress stretched a vast wasteland of cemeteries and dark trees, and filled with the victims of the Warlock's necromancy. Undead monsters who guarded his castle, vicious and deadly. Heroes brave and bold were gathered to rescue the Princess, and together now they stood before the Queen in her court, arrayed like chess pieces, ready to march into battle and almost certain doom. The Ranger, the Barbarian, the Fighter, the Archer, the Wizard, and the Cleric._

_At the far left was the Ranger, dark-haired and sharp-eyed, a handsome boy no more than seventeen years of age in a red tunic and black cloak slung over his shoulders. A heavy cudgel rested easily at his side, and his right arm sported a magical gauntlet of steel and silver._

_Immediately to his left was a ginger-haired Barbarian in doeskin loincloth and halter, feathers adorning her forehead, wrists and ankles. A heavy spear of oak resting against her side. Her eyes were a bright ruby, sparkling with life and an inner fire no fear or horror could extinguish._

_Then was the Fighter, a serious, dark-haired woman in a steel breastplate and a pale scarf that stretched almost down to her knees, armed with a long nodachi blade of enchanted silver. She was as deadly as she was beautiful, and eager to join in battle with her comrades._

_Beside her was a slightly paunchy, pointy-eared elven Archer in a forest green suit, with a quiver full of arrows and a longbow slung over his back. A jovial smile lit up his face, as he too was eager for the hunt. As well as the honor of rescuing of the Princess._

_Next came their Wizard, a short, pink-haired woman in a gothic-looking dress of black and red, completed with a frilly collar and stockings. A dark spellbook full of powerful magicks rested easily under her left arm, and a pair of reading spectacles rested on her pert nose._

_And then finally, rounding off their group on the far right, was their healing Cleric. A blonde-haired, busty and brightly beautiful woman in a nun's habit and robes. The latter of which had long slits up both the sides to show off her shapely legs._

_The six heroes of Fujimi stood in a line before the wise Queen in her court as she stood and made her proclamation. "Go forth," she said in a strong, clear voice. "Defeat the evil Warlock. And free the Princess. Many dangers lie before you, but if you succeed, you shall be handsomely rewarded. And all of the lands shall sing praise for your heroics."_

_And so off their journeyed, from the bright and prosperous land of Fujimi into the dark and foreboding lands of Koichi. Here, the trees and grass were dead and blackened, and the skies dark with clouds. The evil of the Warlock and warlocks past had corrupted the region and made it dark and dangerous. They half expected him to stop them now, for surely he knew already of their coming. But the Warlock was too crafty to meet the directly in combat so early in the game, so instead he cast an evil spell. As the heroes journeyed through the cemetery, the evil ReDeads arose, bursting out of their graves and tombs to harass them._

_"We must fight a way through them!" declared the Ranger. "To rescue the Princess!"_

_The scary ReDeads kept coming at the party in small groups of twos or threes, or even larger clusters and sometimes whole swarms. But the heroes fought them back every time. Ranger swung his mighty club to crush their skulls, then thrust out his gauntleted right arm, unleashing a short but powerful explosion that blew them to pieces. Following the wake of this, the Barbarian and the Fighter came at their foes with sharp, deadly steel cutting through the air, decapitating and impaling the ReDeads until they fell to the unhallowed ground from which they came. The twang of a bow split the air every so often as the Archer nailed ReDead after ReDead in the head, knocking them down as easily as if they were ducks in a carnival game. Even the Wizard took down many of Them with her powerful spells, flaming bolts flying from her fingertips at their enemies. Many times the ReDeads would be struck down, but given their sheer numbers, inevitably some made it past the heroes defenses to strike at them. But always the Cleric would quickly move to heal her members, fixing a broken leg on the Ranger and easing the suffering of the Fighter's many scratches and cuts._

_They pressed on through the darkened lands and ruined villages, past the dead woods and into the Castle of Evil._

_At this point the evil Warlock revealed himself, throwing back an invisible curtain and emerging seemingly from nowhere into the middle of his castles courtyard. He was a truly repulsive man to behold. A thin, pale figure in a black pinstripe robe and a pair of wire-rimmed glasses. Laughing wickedly, the Warlock held up his spidery-thin hands and cast a mighty spell, and a wave of bright yellow energy washed over the courtyard. As the Heroes watched, their weapons began to shimmer and vanish and their magic winked out. The arrows turned to smoke in the Archer's quiver, and the Cleric's medical herbs rotted and turned to ash._

_"No more power for you!" declared the Warlock with an cruel laugh. "No more power for anyone!"_

_Even as their weapons and magic failed them, the heroes realized their troubles were only beginning. From out of the shadows of the courtyard crept the demonic forms of warriors and sorcerers. Those subjugated to the Warlock's twisted will. Former heroes corrupted and warped by the evil Warlocks... evil-ness. Two of them, a pair of lascivious women, sprung at the Ranger and the Archer, pinning them up against the wall as abnormally long tongues snaked out of their mouths. Even before the Barbarian and the Fighter could move to assist, a big brute of a warrior with short blonde hair and an enormous club moved to block their way. A pale, skulking little rogue with a pair of knives started to advance on the helpless spellcasters, the Wizard and the Cleric. All had the same eyes. Dull and lifeless, lit only by the spark of madness the evil Warlock had infused them with._

_"Survival of the fittest!" preached the Warlock. "Victory is ours, my dark children! Show them the way!"_

_"No!"_

_The Ranger and Archer threw off the seductive harlots, tossing them aside as their charms failed to take effect. This rallied the Barbarian and Fighter, who used a quick one-two combo to lay out the much bigger warrior, knocking him flat on his back. A quick misdirection from the Cleric caught the Rogue off guard as she inquired about a rash she spotted on his neck. Which, naturally, he didn't have. With his attention diverted, it was easy for the Wizard to step in close and deliver a generation-killing kick between his legs, ensuring an end to future little rogues._

_As one, the party gathered together, and turned their sights on the source of their troubles, who could only panic with no more minions and no more spells to unleash. At their lead, the Ranger stood tall, even as he charge forward, fist upraised._

_"We reject you and your wicked ways!" he shouted._

_The Ranger stepped forward and slugged the evil Warlock right across the cheek, knocking him to the ground. Seconds later a pale ghost arose from his body as it rapidly turned into a skeleton and then vanished seconds later. Hissing at the defeat of their leader, the remaining demons bid a quick retreat, one of them tripping over another in a mad rush to escape. At the defeat of the evil Warlock, the skies above shuddered, and the dark clouds began to retreat as light came pouring down over the landscape. Withered and dying trees became wholesome and full, the grass became green, and sakura blossoms filled the air, carried on a gentle breeze._

_The great doors leading deeper into the castle opened, and there was the tiny Princess, little more than a child. She was still wearing a bright smile despite her ordeal, and didn't appear to have been harmed. Her beautiful white dress was untouched. A tiny white dragon issued a bark of warning from her shoulder, but she ignored it._

_"I'm saved! Oh thank you brave heroes! Thank you ever so much!" she cried, leaping forward to be caught by the Cleric and held aloft._

_Cheerful, if somewhat distorted, music played in the background as the heroes threw up their arms and smiled brightly. Victory was theirs! One million experience points!_

* * *

**Tanuki City, Japan  
****0735 hours,  
****Z Day + 28**

Alice awoke with a tiny smile on her face. "That was a nice dream," she said, and proceeded to sit up and stretch out her arms, mouth wide in a yawn so big her eyes were squeezed shut. Her motion shifted the covers, which slipped from the voluptuous form of Shizuka, sleeping beside her. Gently patting the blonde's shoulder as thanks for keeping her warm during the night, Alice tugged up the covers to tuck the older woman in properly, then slipped off the bed and made her way to get some breakfast.

* * *

Across the hallway, Kohta was awakening in a similar manner, though his sleep had been free of any sort of dreams, good or bad. Coming to full wakefulness in a few moments he grimaced, taking the time to adjust his flak vest. It was stupid to fall asleep in it but he'd rather not take the chance of coming under attack and being caught flat footed without it. He glanced around, but didn't see Saya. She must've decided to sleep in, he mused, and decided to start making breakfast while he waited for her to get up. He wanted to make sure the groups left today together. He was feeling reasonably better, and he hoped she would be too. If not, a good breakfast would likely help her mood.

Well, good being relative. But there was only so much you could do with canned beans and warm sodas. And the only other drinks left in the minibar were alcoholic, which he took the time to discreetly tip those down the sink and hide the bottles outside on the balcony.

The door opening caused him to glance up from his cooking, and he spotted Saya coming out of the bedroom. She was wearing a white towel, wrapped around her slender figure and knotted in front. It barely came down to brush her thighs, leaving her positively scandalous. She wasn't even wearing her glasses, and she looked incredible. He felt his face grow flush and something trickle down over his lip. Quickly he reached up to brush it away before she saw.

"G-good morning, Kohta-kun," she whispered, unusually subdued.

"Good morning Saya-san," he replied politely. "Breakfast'll be ready soon if you wanted to go ahead and shower."

She shrugged her bared shoulders. "Arigato," she said, but continued to just stand there and watch as he cooked. A comfortable silence descended onto the room, which thanks to its location and adequate insulation was reasonably warm despite the heating being out. The air was filled with the smell of cooked beans as Kohta finished his preparations and started filling her dish, and then his own.

"Why're you doing this?" she asked after a while.

Kohta turned to regard her with his good eye. "Because its... well I... I thought you'd be hungry is all."

She just stared at him, as if trying to read a deeper meaning to his words. One he wasn't entirely sure was there.

"I mean I..."

"Spit it out," she demanded, though without her usual venom.

"I'd rather you were happy, Saya-san."

"Why?"

"'cause I like you."

His response stunned her, an expert shot from a master marksman, the words like a string of bullets that flew straight to their target and impact right in her heart. He really did, she realized. Not like some of the kids back in school, who'd chummed up to her because of her status. Hoping to rub elbows with a rich politicians daughter for favors. He genuinely seemed to like her for her. Something even her parents had never really seemed to do, except at the very end.

Still, she was suspicious. Things did not change overnight, especially human behavior, and all her past experiences with people had led her to believe they were, almost to a one, selfish idiots. "You didn't seem to like me very much last night," she replied.

"That... well... that wasn't right. I mean, you were plastered. It wouldn't be fair to you."

"You're saying if I was sober and asked you, you'd do it?"

He spluttered, his face going dangerously red, and she finally cracked a smile. He was too easy. Not that all males weren't, they were hard-wired that way, but Kohta was almost caveman like in his stupidity. With the exception of military jargon and firearm use, he was remarkably simple and straight-forward.

And maybe that was actually why _she_ liked _him_.

"Listen, I..." she trailed off, and gestured for him to sit on the couch. He did so, and she joined him seconds later. He tried to ignore the way her towel bunched up, riding dangerously high along her shapely legs, but invariably he felt his eyes trail downwards before he mustered a supreme show of will and brought them back up to focus on her face.

"Remember last night I said I picked you to come with me at school? Because you were nice and you deserved saving?"

He nodded. How could he possibly forget such a thing?

"That was a lie," she explained.

His face instantly fell, but she went on. "I took you with me because you were a wimp and I knew you'd do anything I told you to do, and I didn't want to waste time arguing with someone else. The fact that you knew guns came in handy later on."

"Oh," he said, his hopes deflated by her rather blunt admission.

"But," she went on. "Last night I told you to take me... I mean, yeah, I asked, but then I flat out ordered you to do it... I whined and begged and kicked up a fuss. And you turned me down because I was stone cold smashed. That's why I'm really glad I _did_ choose you," Saya intoned softly, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "So... thank you. For everything."

He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "Guess I should be really glad I didn't take advantage of you while you were drunk, eh?"

"Mhm, you should be," she agreed. "'cause if you ever did I'd have to kick your ass. But, the thing is... I'm not drunk now."

"Oh," he said. Then, his good eye widened until it was almost as big as his glasses frame. "Oooh."

Saya smiled softly, but an inner fire lit up her golden orbs, and without a word, she reached up to tug Kohta's glasses off of his head, setting them aside. Then, she stood up and let the ivory towel slip from her shapely figure to flutter towards the ground.

* * *

Much as he would've preferred to remain at the hotel a while longer, perhaps even spend another night or two, Takashi recognized that the team needed to get moving if they were to get back to their borrowed yacht and on to Okinawa. So he reluctantly dressed, woke Saeko, and found Alice feeding Zeke his breakfast. It was slightly more difficult finding Shizuka. The older woman was in the shower when Rei finally found her, sitting with her arms wrapped around her legs and crying as the hot water washed over her. When Rei asked what was wrong, she couldn't give an immediate reply, she just burst into tears again.

Wincing at the sight, Rei sat down on the edge of the bathtub and did her best to comfort Shizuka. Problem was, she wasn't really sure what she could say. The blonde nurse was acting almost exactly how she had when she'd been taken to Yokota Air Base. She'd been crying there a lot too. Right after she'd killed...

Of course! Rei was struck almost instantly with insight. This was about the hospital. Shizuka had never killed anyone before. At least, not counting the zombies she'd run over in various vehicles. And certainly no one who'd still been alive.

Realizing she was on very thin ice, psychologically, Rei started out as gentle as she could.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she inquired, still rubbing the older woman's shoulder.

Shizuka shook her head, face still planted in her knees. She seemed to have stopped crying, however. But that didn't mean anything positive. If anything, it was more likely she'd cried until her eyes were dry, with no more tears to shed.

"I... I know right now things seem bad now but, but we're all here for you, Shizuka-sensei. And if you ever need anything, like, to talk or something or just a shoulder to cry on we're _all_ here for you. Anytime."

Awkwardly, Rei patted her shoulder again and stood, making her way out of the room. There was a time to be direct and offer comfort and a time to give someone their space. It was always a delicate line to walk. Right now, she sensed Shizuka just needed some space.

Sobs continued unabated, but the hot water continued to wash away Shizuka's tears. If only it could have just as easily washed away her pain in her heart as well.

* * *

It took her a while to pull herself together, but when Shizuka Marikawa emerged from the bathroom a while later, drying her hair and only half-dressed, she was smiling again.

Gathering them all up Takashi made sure everyone was rested, fed, dressed and armed. Without ammo and a bayonet, Rei's rifle was useless, so it was being left behind, and she'd improvised a spear from a newly broken broom handle. It was wooden instead of plastic, and thus hopefully would prove to be sturdier than her last one. Takashi kept his shotgun slung over his shoulder despite being down to his last shell, but kept his crowbar close at hand as a bludgeoning instrument.

Then they made their way across the hall. He was reluctant to do so, he'd rather Saya have come to them, but if they wanted to make it back to the yacht by dark they'd have to start going now. Tentatively, he gave a quiet knock on the room across from theirs. The door slid open a few moments later, but only a fraction or so, allowing only the head of Saya Takagi to become visible, the rest of her hidden and out of sight. Her expression was decidedly venomous.

"We're uh... we're getting ready to go," Takashi explained, a little perplexed by her expression. _Was she still pissed with him_? And his confusion mounted as she glanced back into the room, then back at him.

"One hour," she declared and started to shut the door.

"What?"

"One. Hour."

And then the door slammed in his face, and Takashi was left mightily confused. He glanced at Rei and Saeko, who only traded a knowing look, and got even less help from the other girls present. Then he realized Kohta was still missing as well.

He glanced at the door to their room again.

_No way..._

* * *

Although none of them had working watches thanks to the EMP, Saya had an impressive internal clock that allowed her to tell almost to the minute what time it was, inside or outside, rain or shine. So when she and Kohta finally emerged from the room later that morning, Takashi had no doubt exactly one hour had passed. She and Kohta were glowing in such a way that it was painfully obvious how they had been spending their time. No one pressed them on it however, and they seemed grateful for the lack of scrutiny.

Takashi and Kohta did, however, share a somewhat juvenile high-five.

From there on it was relatively smooth sailing for the team as they travelled back down the stairwells to the base of the hotel and made their way southwards towards the museum and the river. However, their path almost led them into a heavily populated gated community, filled with many of Them, and in order to avoid an unpleasant confrontation, Takashi altered their course into a nearby cemetery to avoid the undead in the streets.

The gate was locked, but Saya proved surprisingly adept with a hairpin, and quickly undid the chain holding the wrought iron gates closed. Making considerably less noise than the drill would have. The chain removed, Takashi pulled on the rusty gate, sliding it open on a set of small wheels just wide enough to allow them entry.

The cemetery appeared to be deserted, nothing but rows upon rows of stone markers, some big, some small. The grass was lackluster green mixed with brown, not exactly dead, but certainly neglected. A few trees dotted the landscape, casting ominous shadows despite the overcast skies. It looked like some of the graves were freshly dug towards the middle, and some folded chairs set up nearby. A funeral must've been taking place when the End of the World came. Remarkably ironic.

Or convenient, depending upon your point of view.

"Creepy," remarked Rei, expression her own views quite succinctly and clutching her new weapon close as they stepped inside. Alice clung to Shizuka, nodding in firm agreement.

"They're just graves," said Saya, though even her voice had a tremble to it. "This isn't some stupid movie."

Zeke suddenly burst into a barking frenzy, and they saw there were more of Them coming from down the street towards the cemetery gates, Their distinct gray forms rapidly approaching the gate despite their slow shuffling steps. Takashi grabbed the gate and moved to shut it. It would make even more noise but hopefully they could hold them back for a while so they could safely cross the cemetery. However, as he finished shutting the gate, a decaying hand pushed through the iron bars and grabbed hold of his arm. Jerking hard, he couldn't dislodge the zombie's grip. Especially not when several more added their own appendages.

"Ahh! Get off!" he shouted, smacking hard at their arms with his crowbar. Alas, all sensation was lost in their re-animation, and they did not let up for a second. It was only pure luck none of them tried to maneuver his arm to more easily pull it through the bars. None of them were smart enough to try that however, and their teeth were safely on one side while his flesh was on the other. Even so, he grimaced as they pulled harder, in seconds they'd yank his arm clean off.

Alice and Rei grabbed his other arm to help pull him back, and this gave enough room to maneuver as Saeko withdrew her katana from its sheath and swung it down with expert precision. The hands holding Takashi grew slack as their respective owners found themselves disarmed in spectacular fashion, dark blood dripping down onto the ground as Takashi and the girls stumbled backwards into the cemetery. Their lost appendages twitched on the ground before becoming still and lifeless.

"Cutting it a bit close, aren't we?" he asked, rubbing his arm to try and restore some circulation. His inflection of the question made it unclear if he was referring to her timing or just how close the cut had been to slicing off _his_ arm along with the others.

The swordswoman only smirked.

But even without their limbs, the undead monsters were relentless, and continued to bang hard against the cemetery gates in an effort to reach their prey. This, in turn, created more sound to draw in others.

Setting her stance firmly, Rei thrust forward with her makeshift spear, impaling one of the undead menaces through the bars of the gate and knocking it back when it fell. This she continued two or three times, even as Kohta worked to quickly secure the gate once more with the chains. However, one of Them grabbed the gates and began to pull them open, forcing him to abandon this task and fall back to relative safety as he grabbed up his AR-10 and took aim.

Saeko cursed under her breath and thrust the point of her sword through the bars into the head of one of Them, knocking it back. However, in that critical moment, another attacker grabbed the gate and added is strength to the task of opening it. As it was, Saeko's prized Muramata katana was caught in the gate and stuck fast. She started to pull to try and free it, but realized it made for a suitable linchpin to hold the gate closed at its current, not-quite-wide-enough-for-a-body position. Could she just leave it there?

Unfortunately, the question turned out to be no, and as more of Them added their inhuman muscle to the task of opening the gate, the folded steel sword whined in protest, the grating of metal on metal screeching. She tried pulling back with greater strength, putting her foot up against the wall for leverage, but it was hopelessly stuck. Then, as she watched in horror, the blade began to bend, the incredible strain it was under proving to be far too much even for its superior craftsmanship. Realizing she may have only seconds to spare before her blade was lost, Saeko grabbed the hilt and pulled with every ounce of her might. But it was far too late. Seconds stretched into millenia as she saw the metal distort and warp and then saw her preciouse Muramata katana snapped like a dry twig. The hilt and about a foot of the blade almost falling from Saeko's suddenly numb fingers, while the remainder fell to the ground on the other side, and the gates seemed to almost fly open with a sudden ferocity.

"Saeko-san!"

Alice tugged hard on Saeko's other arm, yanking her with surprising strength out of the reach of Them as they stumbled into the cemetery, and the whole group took off running. Saeko threw the ruined hilt at her pursuers, but the angle was all wrong. She sliced open the face of one, but the blow lacked the strength to penetrate the bone beneath the flesh. All she managed to do was ugly up the face of one of Them who, frankly, could've used a shave before he decided to use the ranks of the walking dead.

Undead pursuit was slow, but relentless. Moreover, their altercation had created a great deal of noise, and was drawing in unwanted attention from inside as well. More of Them were spotted coming in from all sides. Some of their grayed forms were recognizable as clergy and mourners, a woman in a tattered black veil, a collared priest with a torn stomach, a man in a business suit with only one arm. All of them staggered, crawled, or shuffled towards the survivors, moaning weakly but hungrily at the promise of fresh meat.

"Back to back!" shouted Takashi, crowbar upraised in his hand defensively. The others quickly formed a rough circle, Shizuka and Alice in the center, everyone else facing outward. "Keep moving!" he instructed, as they kept formation and continued further into the graveyard, battering past the undead mourners. He struck down one and Rei slipped underneath and around to impale a second beside them.

Interested in conserving bullets, Kohta switched on the safety and handed his rifle to Shizuka for safekeeping, then brought up the heavy chain he'd carried from the cemetery gate. Whirling it over his head he used it to loop around one of Them, wrapping it around their neck. Positioning himself behind Them, out of reach of their deadly teeth, he pushed hard with his new leverage and sent them crashing down atop of the ground. Kohta's heavy foot came down next, and he put his full weight behind it, crushing the skull beneath him. Satisfied this one was dead he quickly untangled the chain and turned to see who was coming.

"Aww yeah! Whose next?" he shouted, rotating his wrist to twirl the chain in a circle.

Saeko, meanwhile, had grabbed up a shovel to use as an improvised weapon, and swung it back and forth clumsily and awkwardly, not used to its design and weight. She felt fear wash over her, not the usual joy and fever of bloodlust.

_Shinigami!_

No response. Her mind was clear and collected, and woefully empty of any sort of malevolence. Malevolence and strength she needed desperately right now.

_SHINIGAMI! I need you! _She closed her eyes and concentrated hard. She needed to find her inner self. Her strength. She needed to fight, but her entire body felt like her strong muscles had been replaced by wet noodles. She had no more strength to go on. To save her friends. She managed one hit, a glancing blow upside one of the zombie's heads which sent it staggering back, but it failed to destroy its head, and it simply kept coming.

"Keep moving!" Takashi shouted over the fray, digging his crowbar into another attacker's eye and shoving the limp body aside, clearing a path. "GO GO GO!"

Seeing the other side of the cemetery coming into view, a long, impassive wall, Saya Takagi took off like a shot past the fighting. Running fast as she could, she bolted towards the story-high wall that separated the cemetery from the surrounding neighborhood. Spotting a disused ladder lying on the ground nearby, possibly for the use in climbing in and out of graves, Saya grabbed it up and propped it up against the wall, trying to ignore the feeling of grime and mud streaking it. It probably hadn't been used since the Outbreak, but long as it was sturdy enough to hold their weight, she found she didn't really care for aesthetics. She raised up her hand and waved on the others, then ascended herself to make sure the other side was clear.

The team came running fast as their legs could carry them, Rei and Takashi knocking back a few of Them to gain some breathing room as the others made their way to the ladder. Shizuka, Alice, and Saeko quickly flew up the ladder to the top of the stone wall, as Kohta grabbed the side of the ladder at the bottom to steady it.

"Move!" Takashi shouted, taking a moment to provide Kohta some back-up while Rei climbed the ladder. He followed quickly after, Kohta coming last. One of Them reached for his legs, but he kicked hard to dislodge the cold grip. Unfortunately he kicked a bit too hard, and the ladder wobbled, and he almost slipped and fell. Takashi grabbed his arm to help keep him steady, wincing as the bigger boy's weight nearly dragged him down as well.

Finally the marksman finished scrambling up the wall and they were all safe. Then Takashi and Kohta kicked hard on the ladder, sending it back down atop of a gathering crowd of Them, knocking some down and capturing others between its rungs, and overall preventing them from following. None of them could even reach high enough to touch the survivors.

"Where's Zeke?"

The two boy's glanced at one another and then in mutual horror glanced down, where the tiny white canine was clawing mightily at the stone wall in an effort to climb it. The little dog fell down after an attempt then quickly scrambled back up again for another, making it about halfway before gravity started to reassert its control over the poor animal. However, salvation was at hand, as a hand came through the air to grab his collar seconds before he fell. Shizuka yanked up Zeke by his collar just seconds before one of Them pawed at the air where he'd been, narrowly missing the lucky little mutt. The undead monsters swarmed the wall, moaning and wailing, but the survivors were safely out of their reach for the time being. With the other side of the wall clear, they leapt down the short distance into the street, now only a block away from the museum and only a few of Them to be seen.

The team bolted, shoes and boots screeching against the pavement as they climbed up the stairway to the top, trusting manual dexterity to at least slow down their undead pursuers. Proud banners depicting the many wonders of the historical Yushushima War Museum waved silently in the breeze as they reached the huge double doors of the entrance.

Fully prepared to change tactics if the doors turned out to be locked, Takashi grabbed the handles and pulled hard. Thankfully, they slid right open, and he gave silent praise the lock had been electronic. He glanced inside but the lobby seemed to be empty, and so he held the door open, ushering the team in as quickly as possible. Rei lingered by the entrance, makeshift spear raised up as she guarded their retreat, until she and Takashi were the only two left, and they joined the others inside, seconds before more grayed, decaying forms came shuffling towards them. Rei slammed the door shut and Takashi quickly locked it on the inside with the deadbolts, sliding them closed at the top and bottom of the heavy doors.

"Will that hold?" Rei asked nervously. Without windows it was unsettling to imagine how bad things were outside. When a bump came at the door, they both nearly leapt out of their skin. But the doors held.

"They should," Takashi replied hesitantly. "The locks were mostly electronic but these are dead bolted now. Plus they open outwards. They'll hold for a while, at least. Still, we should try and take the back way out when we're done here."

The door shuddered again, and they both jumped, turning to look at the doors uneasily.

"Let's move on."

* * *

The rest of the survivors were waiting for them in the lobby of the museum, where banners continued to proudly proclaim it as the Yushushima War Museum. Takashi made a beeline for the exhibits guide, rummaging through it until he found what he wanted on the map, and then beckoned the rest to follow.

"Just what exactly are we doing stopping off here anyway?" asked Rei curiously as they were led past a large hall displaying WWII Fighter Planes.

Takashi held up a finger, indicating a single moment was needed to reply, then pointed when they reached the next hall. "We're here for this," he said. "Sengoku Jidai."

The hallway opened up to a number of displays of weapons and armor from the feudal era of Japan. Suits of metal barding for horses stood side-by-side with displays of early war treaties and such. And indispersed from them was what Takashi had brought them here for. Medieval weapons. Highly hesitant at first, he brought up his crowbar and smashed through one of the display cases, reaching around the jagged fragments of glass to pull out its contents. In this case, a set of iron kanabo, or studded clubs. Hefting one, he tested its weight, finding it more than adequate for his purposes. They worked just like baseball bats, but had the added advantage of being designed for combat. No way this would dent after breaking a few heads like his bat had. The only drawback seemed to be the weight. If he missed a swing he was going to leave himself very vulnerable while he brought the weapon back under control.

Glancing up, he frowned slightly as he saw Rei looking at him with a slightly appalled expression.

"What're you doing?"

"We need weapons, Rei, there's no way we'll get back to the Mimei without them. This seemed like the best option. I'm just glad they're authentic and not historical replicas."

"But these're national treasures!" she retorted. "We can't just steal them! It's not proper."

"Would you rather we all get killed than put them to use?" he asked.

Rei bit her lip, obviously not wanting that. But she couldn't think of any sort of proper argument to make. Still, that didn't mean she was wrong.

Sensing he was about to lose an argument Takashi glanced at Saya, who nodded in firm agreement. "I don't want to die," she said simply.

"A weapon is meant for fighting," stated Kohta, adding in his own opinion. "To honor them in a museum is good, but to use them in a fight is definitely better."

Sensing defeat in the face of mass consensus and determined to accept it gracefully, Rei gave a sigh and nodded. "Alright fine."

Nodding in satisfaction, Takashi glanced up at Saeko, still clutching that dirty, dented shovel in her hand like it was a lifetime.

"There should be some swords further down, you'll probably want to check there."

Relieved, Saeko nodded, making her way down the rows to find something suitable for her needs. Rei, meanwhile, peered up at a vertical display of several naginata polearms, the weapon connected most prominently with female samurai. She paused only a moment but, recognizing the truth of their words, smashed the casing herself. She had to stand up on her tip-toes to reach up and tug out one of the naginata, which fell easily into her arms. Testing the weight, she found it was lighter than it looked, though still heavier than the discarded M1A rifle. However, unlike the rifle, it was perfectly balanced and felt good in her hands. She gave a few experimental thrusts and slashes, well out of reach of her teammates, amazed by how quickly it responded to her. Moreover, the reach would help immeasurably, and yet wasn't so long as to be cumbersome.

Curious, she turned to regard the plaque accompanying it, and saw it read that it was ostensibly the favored weapon of Nakano Takeko, who was a Japanese warrior of the Aizu domain. She had fought and died during the Boshin War.

_May I do you proud_, she thought, hefting the weapon and moving back to rejoin Takashi and the others.

* * *

Saya found herself separated from the group as Kohta began checking out a rack of medieval crossbows, his obsession with weapons in full fury. Despite her newfound affection for the pudgy otaku, she still couldn't quite bring herself to deal with him when he was in full-blown geek mode. Besides, she had an important matter of her own to take care of. And that was finding a weapon of her own. She still had the luger P08 back on the ship but she was firmly convinced that needed to be saved for the last resort, if they ever needed it. Problem was, she couldn't think of what would suit her. And besides that, the particular section she found herself in was mostly dedicated to anti-cavalry weapons anyway. They weren't of any use to her or anyone at the moment.

And the armor was impractical. Heavy and cumbersome, it was designed to protect against swords and arrows, not teeth. They were primarily focused on the protection of vital organs. When battling against Them, any flesh exposed was dangerous. No, the cons outweighed the pros in this respect. All she really need was a weapon. Best defense was a good offense, after all. She was searching for something suitable of her own to use, but so far had little luck. Most of the weapons she passed were either useless against undead opponents, too large and heavy for her slight frame, or required a certain degree of expertise to use she didn't claim to have.

"Takagi-san."

Saya looked up just in time to see a sheathed sword come flying through the air, and caught it out of pure instinct. Puzzled, she peered up at Saeko, who'd just tossed it into her hands. The swordswoman was holding a similar, if slightly longer, weapon in her own hand.

"A Muramata wakizashi," she explained, indicating the weapon in Saya's hands. "It is normally paired with a katana in a combination called daisho. Samurai alone were permitted to carry two swords such as this as a display of their rank. But its shorter length will serve you better."

Pink eyebrows nearly hit the roof. "Serve _me_?"

The Busujima swordswoman nodded, solemn as an owl. "I am taking you on as my understudy. I will teach you how to use that blade."

"What makes you think I want to learn from you, you ice queen?" spat Saya, waving the sheathed sword at her supposed 'teacher' angrily.

Saeko's eyes narrowed at her disrespectful tone. "It is not only yourself you wish to protect, I think," she added, and flicker her eyes significantly to the side. Following her gaze, Saya spotted Kohta eyeing an old-fashioned composite bow on display, comparing it to the rifle in his hands. This brought Saya's tirade to a screeching halt, and she pondered again Saeko's words before turning back to regard her. Weighing her options.

"I ask only one thing in exchange as my fee."

By now very massively confused, Saya just quirked an eyebrow, hand on her hip. "Yeah?"

"Keep the promise you made to me on the roof of the hotel."

* * *

As with all great museums, a gift store was to be found near the lobby for those leaving to purchase cheap, useless trinkets and mementos of their time there. This is where nurse Shizuka Marikawa found herself, having wandered away from the group and the weapons displayed so prominently throughout the museum. She wasn't a fighter, she didn't know anything about such things and what little she did know, she didn't like. And she was painfully reminded of that fact again when she came across a rack of postcards, and happened to spot one with a happy couple on the beach waving. The man reminded her a little of Cheisu, and she felt her heart grow heavy again.

She wasn't exactly stupid, she'd known full well that things didn't always work out well. Especially since the Outbreak had started. A thousand little things could've gone wrong. Ryo Cheisu could've been uninterested in her. He could've had an accident during their trip. He could've wanted to stay behind at the hospital while they go on to Okinawa. But in the end, the only thing that had gone wrong had been that he'd gotten bitten. And she'd had to be the one to kill him to save him from a horrible fate of turning into one of Them.

Leaving her with an arguably far more horrible fate. Knowing she had been the one to pull the trigger. And leaving her horribly alone.

Unable to stem the tide of tears any longer, Shizuka lifted up her arm to cover her eyes as she wept silently.

"Shizuka-oneesama?"

Blinking back her tears, Shizuka lifted her head to see little Alice peering up at her. The little girl was examining some of the noisier toys sold in the museum, bells and whistles and even some alarm clocks that ran on batteries and could in a pinch be usable. She had one such device clutched in her hands as she looked up at Shizuka fearfully. Not afraid _of_ her, but _for_ her.

"Is everything okay?"

"Hai," Shizuka replied slowly. "I'm just... I'm just sad," she explained, reaching out to pat the younger girl on the head softly.

"Because of Cheisu-san?" Alice asked.

Shizuka nodded, not trusting herself to speak with the lump in her throat. She turned to look at the photo again. It didn't even look much like him, she decided. But it still hurt to think about it. About what she'd done.

A soft body impacted against her legs, and Shizuka glanced down in surprise to find Alice clinging to her in a hug, face buried in her hip and arms wrapped around her legs, as the highest she could reach on the tall nurse. She understood. Although the group had done their best to shield their little sister from death they'd first found her when her father had been killed, and not by undead monsters either. It was a testimony to her strength of character she'd emerged from such an ordeal with very little stain on her innocence. But she understood Shizuka's pain, or at least some of it, seeing someone you cared about dying. And she subtly reminded the older woman that she had new family to support her. Just like Alice did.

"It'll be okay, Shizuka-oneesama. Everything'll be okay soon."

Everything will be okay soon. She started to wonder. It was the group's unspoken mantra, their hope that sooner or later they could stop running and be safe. It was what led them to place after place, each providing a temporary shelter at best, but no real sanctuary in the end. They always kept moving on. And in their wake, they always left more bodies behind them. The Takagi's, Asami, Ririko. Cheisu was just the latest in a long line.

But worse than that, Shizuka could see plain as day how close the adversity was drawing together the younger survivors. She was rapidly starting to feel like a fifth wheel, un-wanted, un-necessary...

"... un-needed," she murmured.

"That's not true! We need you Shizuka-oneesama. You're the only one who can drive. An' make us better if we're hurt. We all need you. An'... an'..."

Shizuka peered down at Alice, who looked like she was having difficult with her last statement. Unshed tears pooled in Alice's bright eyes as she looked up at the blonde and clung to her even tighter than before. "An' I don't want you to go away!"

_Ah, that was what was wrong_.

The blonde nurse broke Alice's hold and went down on one knee so they were closer to eye level, resting her hand on the little girl's shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere, Alice-chan. I promise to stay with you all."

"Forever?" asked the little redhead softly.

Shizuka hesitated perhaps half a second before nodding. "Forever," she said, and then swept up Alice into a hug, both as a comfort for her, and a thanks. The children still needed her, and so Shizuka would stay with them as long as she could. They were family now, and she wouldn't let anything bad happen to them. And when bad things happened to her, they'd be there to help. She wasn't really alone as long as she remembered that.

Drying her tears with the back of her hand, Shizuka smiled again, and allowed Alice to draw her back out of the gift shop and towards where Rei was admiring an old-fashioned kimono, trying it on over her usual school uniform and holding it closed in front to model it loosely.

"Me next me next!" cried Alice, running over towards Rei, who cautioned her about the broken glass on the floor.

* * *

After an hour or so had passed, Takashi rounded up the group in the lobby.

"Everyone ready to go?" he asked, giving them a quick look over. Almost everyone was armed with a medieval weapon, save for Kohta, who couldn't find a suitable substitute for his rifle, still packing a few bullets in any case. To be on the safe he'd grabbed up a heavy combat knife from the Modern Wars section and strapped it to his side. It might not deter many undead opponents but it would help in more practical situations.

Deciding to check the front door before they went searching for a back way out, Takashi flipped up the mail slot to get a better view. One he immediately regretted, as he saw a small swarm was outside of the front of the museum, including half of the zombies from the streets and more than a few they'd tried to leave behind in the cemetery. He even spotted more than a few in middle school uniforms. Evidently the banging on the doors had attracted more of them.

"They really don't know when to quit," he breathed out in annoyance, shutting the tiny slot. "We need another way out."

"I saw a fire escape alongside the building when we came in. Head to the roof?" asked Kohta.

"Stairs are this way," added Alice, indicating a sign that said as much.

The door shuddered again, and bereft of any other options, Takashi nodded. The team made their way towards the stairway, but halfway there, one of the large glass windows exploded inwards and a small horde of Them came swarming in. Biting back a curse, Takashi took this as a perfect opportunity for a field test and swung out his club. Such was the impact the zombies head was smashed to pieces, and he felt an exhilarated surge. It was like hitting papier mâché.

"Okay, back the way we came... is there another way out?" he asked, club upraised as more of Them stumbled through the broken window.

Shizuka tapped a finger against her chin as she studied the map on the wall. "Eto..."

Saya shoved the nurse aside and and took little more than a glance, then stabbed a finger at the spot they wanted. "Back exit!"

"This way!" Kohta shouted from further down the hall, indicating a sign that showed them where the fire exit was.

"MOVE!"

Everyone scrambled like mad to avoid the sudden influx of dead bodies in the museum, and Takashi took the lead towards the fire escape.

Alice tossed down one of her collected toys towards the back of the lobby, the opposite direction they were going. Immediately, the tiny little animatron, battery powered and ready to go, burst into cheerful, loud music. There was a brief pause by both sides as the living waited with bated breath. Then the zombies staggered towards it, drawn by the noise and away from their fleeing prey, allowing the others to catch up to Takashi with ample breathing room.

Saya's hand suddenly slapped at her pocket, and she realized it was empty. "Wait, oh goddamnit I dropped it!"

"Dropped what, Saya-oneesama?"

"I have to go back for it! It must be in the gift shop!"

Saeko's hand clamped down hard on her apprentice's shoulder before she could escape, though it was a near thing. "Whatever you have lost..."

"You don't understand it's the keys! For the Mimei!"

Takashi cursed, finding the door locked, probably from the outside by whomever had last left the museum. "Leave them," he shouted as he struggled to get the door open. "We can move the Mimei with sails, we don't need the keys." _And I can use my last shell to blow the lock to pieces once we get there_, he thought. It wasn't an ideal situation but it would work.

He kicked open the door when it refused to budge, but thankfully found no unwelcome attackers on the other side, and so bid the others hurry to escape, even as more of Them started to swarm the doorway. The problem now was closing it. He'd broken off the outer lock getting it open, and the deadbolts were on the inside. As Rei and Saya slipped past Takashi looked about for something heavy to block the door, a dumpster or the like, but nothing seemed readily available. Saeko, already having made a decision, glanced back, saw his expression and read their predicament at once.

"Go! I will hold them here," she said as she ushered the pink-haired genius out of the exit.

"What? No! Saeko no that's not-!"

Takashi started to protest but Saeko lifted a leg and struck him full in the chest with the toe of her boot, knocking him backwards out of the museum. "I'll meet you back at the Mimei," she said as she quickly slammed the door shut behind her and pushed on the door latch at the top to prevent them coming back after her. Now it was only her and the dead still inside.

Her hands grasped hilt and sheath, tugging her new katana free of its casing, the ancient steel filling her hands easily.

_Shinigami_, she thought, focusing her thoughts.

_Oh I love it when you use my name_.

_I have need of you._

_'bout time, Saeko-chan! Let's have some fun!_

A grin split the swordswoman's face as she hurled herself into the fray.

* * *

His fist pounding hard on the door, Takashi shouted for Saeko to let them in to help her, not caring who or what heard him. Rei grabbed his arm, and he tried to shrug her off, but she was quickly aided by Kohta, and between the two of them, they managed to drag him away.

"She'll be fine!" shouted Kohta. "You know how tough Busujima-sempai is."

Takashi grumbled but reluctantly agreed waiting here was no longer an option, not with half the city swarming towards them. They detoured past the parking lots and around the side of the building.

"We'll head to the river, get back to the docks... give her a chance to catch up before we move on."

"What if she doesn't make it? How long do we wait?" asked Saya.

Takashi glared over his shoulder at her, but conceded her logical, if somewhat heartless, question. "One day. If we haven't seen her or she hasn't reached the Mimei by then, we move on."

Rei lay a hand on his shoulder. "She'll be fine, Takashi," she intoned. "I know she will be."

He patted her hand, and they swept along the southern side of the Museum, cutting through a narrow alleyway with numerous high windows. A flurry of movement barely registered in the corner of their vision before one of the windows shattered. Alice and Rei covered their heads as the window erupted outwards, glass raining down all over the alleyway as a priceless stone statue came crashing through it. The sounds of a sword slicing cleanly through the air were readily apparent, as was the dull thud of bodies falling.

"Let's go."

Compared to the fun they'd had at the hospital, the hotel, and the museum, the walk around the edge of the city and following the river back to the docks was cake. Alice's noisemaking toys were immeasurably helpful in providing distractions whenever there were too many undead in their path, though such instances were rare. The sight of the Mimei still exactly where they left it brought tired smiles to their faces, though Takashi made sure they kept on their guard as they approached, and double-checked the interior before he let them board. Thankfully, everything was in order, and the time apart had definitely helped to clear the smoke. None of their food had spoiled and everything was where it should've been.

Giving thanks for small mercies, Takashi asked Saya to give the engine a proper check to see if it was viable.

"What do you think?" he asked, after she had a moment to study it.

She glanced up at him with an irritated expression, and without a word reached down, tugged loose a part of the motor that was badly burnt and warped. Without a word, Saya hurled it over her shoulder and into the water, where it sank like a stone.

He grimaced. "That bad, huh?"

"And no stores nearby for that kinda thing. At least not that I can see," reported Kohta.

"Then we'll have to steal from one of the nearby boats of a similar type. There's a yacht down that way that may work. I'll go check it out."

"I'll come with you," offered Kohta, but Saya held up a hand.

"Guard the Mimei," she ordered. "You've got a keener eye than any two of ours. Takashi, you can come with me to help."

She turned to depart, and the two boys shared a glance, then nodded, recognizing their respective talents were most useful in the places Saya had decided. So Kohta took up watch and Takashi made his way after the self-proclaimed genius onto the other yacht, the S.S. Niwatori. Takashi scouted out its insides for trouble while Saya checked out its components.

"Fried," she muttered, giving the engine a stomp out of frustration.

"Ah, but looks like the Tori's captain wasn't an idiot... he had a spare," reported Takashi from inside, triumphantly holding up the piece they needed and tossing it to Saya, who caught it.

"Anything else down there we can use?" she asked, nodding at the piece of hardware. It was indeed what they were seeking.

He shook his head. "Empty. Guess the captain never made it back." They returned to the Mimei, Saya leading the way with the precious component, Takashi came up last, guarding Saya.

They were about halfway back to the ship when Saya spoke up, her gait unconsciously slowing to a more leisurely walk. "Takashi, look... about Saeko..."

He glanced at her but said nothing.

"You were right. None of my business."

"No," he replied firmly. "_You_ were right. I knew she was a bit unstable-"

"We've all been, since this started. Its really a testimony to strength of will we haven't gotten worse."

Forcibly reminded of some of the more deranged individuals they'd met in their travels, Takashi was forced to agree. "But I never thought... never imagined she'd..."

"I doubt she did either. None of us really know until we're in that situation," added Saya.

"So what now?"

"We keep going. And we keep _living_," she added, placing strong emphasis on that word. "And, in order to do that, well, maybe-..."

A low moan caught his ear, and Takashi glanced up at the pier that was one level above them. Two zombies, fishermen from the look of their clothes, were leaning against the balcony, feebly trying to reach Takashi and the others below them. Grimacing, he kept them in sight, not wanting to risk one of them pitching over the side and falling on top of him. However, there suddenly came a sound, and both turned, and stumbled into the shadows of the pier. He heard a pair of thumps, and their heads rolled out of shadows and off the pier to crash into the sea.

Seconds later, a long-legged beauty with raven locks came into view at the top of the pier, without a single mark to show for her struggle. Saeko leapt down the remaining few feet to join them on the docks, landing in a graceful crouch and smoothly sliding to her feet without missing a beat. Her sword was stained with fresh blood, and a wicked grin lit up her face. This lasted only a moment, however, as she gave her sword a casual flick to clean it, and slid it back into its sheath. The second the blade vanished, so did her wild smile, and she was herself again.

"Miss me?" she asked. Her hand snapped up, and something glinted briefly in the light of the setting sun before Shizuka caught it. Or rather, it bounced off of her ample cleavage and fell into her hands. It was the Mimei's keys.

Takashi smiled, beckoning her onboard, and then undid the lock and shoved off the docks hard to push the Mimei away.

"Let's get underway," he declared. "Kohta, take the wheel. I'll get the sails up."

"We don't have much of a breeze," Rei reminded him.

"It'll do," he replied, tugging on one of the sails connecting ropes and turning to prepare the other one. Takashi turned too sharply, however, and banged his head on the boom as it swung around. This was followed by a round of cursing and a suggestion of a sexual act that was physically impossible. Kohta and Saya, to either side of little Alice, quickly slapped a single hand over each of her ears in a vain attempt to shield her innocent ears from such profanity. Rei quickly grabbed Takashi's shoulders to steady him as he clutched at his aching head, and allowed himself to be guided to the aft of the ship where Shizuka could check him out. He gently waved away the blonde nurse, he'd gotten worse falling out of bed. Which left him with Rei as the others prepared and guided the ship.

Their destination was the same as before. Okinawa. A cool breeze picked up and filled the sails, and they were underway in no time.

Finally, things were starting to look up again.

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**After careful consideration and much internal debate, its been decided not to include Ririko in the story, and leave the implication she either died or, like the Takagi's, stayed behind and may be dead. Either way, she was separated from the group sometime before or during Yokota AB.


	7. 06 Fresh

**_VI – Fresh_**

****"_Human life consists of mutual service. No  
__grief, pain, misfortune, or 'broken heart'  
__is excuse for cutting off one's life while  
__any power of service remains. But when all  
__usefulness is over, when one is assumed of an  
__unavoidable and imminent death, it is the  
__simplest of human rights to choose a quick and  
__easy death in place of a slow and horrible one_."

- **Charlotte Perkins Gilman**.

* * *

**En Route to Okinawa  
****1710 hours,  
****Z Day + 30**

One of the very first things they'd done as soon as they'd gotten their commandeered ship underway was check the radio for the signal. For a tense moment they thought they'd lost it until Kohta tuned to the exact frequency, and the static gave way to the instructions and coordinates of their potential salvation, the Kumejima settlement on Okinawa. Shizuka was a little puzzled by the date, which hadn't been updated recently, but most of the others brushed aside her concerns, and even she readily admitted without a calendar or wristwatch she was lousy at keeping time.

They travelled by day, using the sails and keeping the newly refurbished engine in reserve. It was getting steadily colder out, and the spray of the sea was icy during the evening, so they kept inside and tried to keep warm instead. Still, the Mimei and its makeshift crew made good time. Kohta took time to clean his rifle and count his bullets, and Rei and Saeko found a way to sharpen their obtained weapons from the museum. Within days they finally caught sight of an island that could only be Okinawa, and a ragged cheer came up from the crew as they set sail with all possible haste towards it.

As they came closer to the shore, they spotted numerous ships anchored and beached against the island, some big, some small. He spotted yachts and schooners, and even a canoe or two. All seemed to be abandoned for the time being, there was no signs of any crew present.

"There's no docks, what do we do, anchor out here and swim ashore?" asked Kohta after their ship had made a long circuit along the beach to try and find somewhere to park.

His question was rewarded by a slap on the back of his head from Saya. "Baka! We don't have an anchor! And even if we did we'd get frozen on the way there. I didn't come all this way to die of pneumonia!"

He rubbed the back of his head, more out of embarrassment than pain. "Gomen nasai, Saya-sama."

Saya sighed and breathed out slowly, deliberately calming down before there was more arguing. Or violence. Or both.

"We'll beach the ship, drag it ashore," she declared after a moment's thought.

Hesitant though he was to beach their ship, Takashi recognized the wisdom of her suggestion and turned the ship to aim it directly at the softer looking, sandier part of the beach, building up enough speed to ensure they sunk in hard enough. They did, and almost immediately they leapt out and pushed the rest ashore, Takashi and Kohta doing most of the heavy work as the girls started to pack their supplies and prepare to head inland towards the source of the signal.

"Think this'll hold?" asked Kohta, trying to nudge the Mimei just a little further inland with little success.

Their leader nodded. "Tides going out, meaning it'll stay here for at least a day. Plenty of time to check things out and get back."

"Hey Takashi, are we bringing everything in one go?" asked Rei, tossing a bag over the side of the ship to where Shizuka was, who caught it easily. Alice, beside her, was carrying Zeke ashore to relieve himself.

"Let's just leave it as essentials for now," replied Takashi, shouldering his club. "This may still be a bust, after all. No sense bringing the food. It'll keep."

Travel was slow, mostly due to the heavy brush along the shoreline, and partly due to a desire to keep on their guard. However, as they moved further and further inland, they saw signs of civilization begin to crop up. Barbed-wire fences and signs that proclaimed the safe haven appeared, as well as directions and distance. All were hastily erected, but the fact that they were there at all filled them with hope, and filled their weary legs with strength. Still, the haven they were trying to reach was very far inland, and after days of travel the team was still weary, so Takashi called a halt by one of the signs along the way and bid them all take a moment to rest.

Shizuka popped the lid off a bottle of water and drank eagerly of its contents, her entire body sore. She hadn't been sleeping well on the boat, the rocking of the waves hadn't been nearly as gentle the past few days as they had been before. The water was good for her though. Helped prevent dehydration. And she made sure everyone else in the group drank some as well, despite a few protesting they were not thirsty.

Takashi grimaced as he chugged down his bottle, eager to be finished with the flat, warm liquid. "Man, I would kill for a soda right now. I hope this safe haven has a good convenience store," he added, half-seriously.

"Probably not," replied Saya, adjusting her glasses. "On an island like this, we'll be sound defensively, but for supplies, we'll have to either make our own crops and herds, or else send raiding parties to the mainland for them. I'd say Kumejima hasn't quite gotten to the later part yet."

"Maybe they had a stockpile ready for this. Maybe they were prepared for the disaster beforehand," remarked Rei quietly.

"Long as they have a roof to sleep under, I'll be happy," added Kohta, sore from days of sleeping on a rocking boat.

"And running water," added Saya, feeling very grimy.

"And food!" piped up Alice.

Kohta nodded in agreement, a wide grin splitting his face. "Hells yeah! Real, proper food, cooked on an open grill to perfection, and slathered in barbecue sauce!"

Beside them, Takashi grimaced before morphing into a smile. He'd never enjoyed the taste of barbecue sauce himself, he liked his hot dogs and burgers plain and simple, thank you very much. Still, the idea itself was pleasing. Something cooked over a fire, not heated up from a can, sounded simply divine. As well as the thought of fresh water. Cool for drinking and hot for bathing, respectively. Of warm, comfortable beds, and a roof over their heads. Hell, while he was dreaming, Takashi added the idea of a bed big enough for him and the two girls in his life, and a locked door to give them privacy. Privacy they couldn't experience on the tight confines of the boat. They hadn't had a chance to be intimately close since the hotel and it was driving Takashi to distraction just thinking about it.

For a moment they let their imaginations run wild as they speculated what their new home might be like, sometimes wandering right into the fantastical and impractical. After a while the laughter died down and they realized they had to get moving again. None of them spoke aloud, but all of their thoughts drifted into the same region. But to voice such aloud was to consider the possibility of defeat. And they were so very tired, so very weary to the bone, they did not want to tarnish their hope with the possibility of failure.

Without another word, they all moved on. Following the signal.

* * *

It was sunset when they finally caught sight of the wall. Closer inspection revealed the signal was coming from within, a heavy stone wall at least a dozen feet high and probably a few feet thick, with only a single door at the opening to allow entry. An old but undeniably effective defensive measure. If there had been any of Them on the island of Okinawa, it was no wonder that they had survived. A long blue banner proclaiming the "Kumejima" settlement hung to one side of the doors, and Alice gave out a cheer as she and Zeke shot forward. The rest of them did the same, all but running towards the gates. It was to be everything they'd hoped for. Shelter, food, protection, people. It seemed as if all their worries had been washed away and hope was shining brightly. They could already smell the barbecue, and see smoke rising in the distance. A celebration must've been taking place.

But as they drew closer, Takashi's gaze cleared, and he saw more details that gave him pause. His steps slowed as they neared the gates, and he saw they were open, and one was hanging listlessly from a single hinge. And worst of all, he could see signs of old bloodstains on the metal.

"Wait!" he shouted, catching Alice's attention, seconds before she reached the doorway. He jogged to catch up to her, pulling out his club and ushing her back with the others.

"I'll go first," he said simply. Nothing more, nothing less.

Pushing the undamaged door open with his weapon slowly, Takashi stepped inside, golden orbs sweeping across the inside of the fortress with careful precision. It was a simple design, the wall curved around into a wide circle, everything was located along the inner edge, most of the buildings used the wall as a fourth side of their buildings. Along the inside wall just below the top was a railing and a walkway no doubt used by watchmen and guards to keep an eye on approaching peoples. The center was largely cleared, and largely empty. He slipped inside, scarcely making a sound as he entered, careful to keep his back to the group. Rei and Kohta fell into place almost instantly, the former on the left with spear upraised, the latter on the right with rifle primed.

When you spent every day in a comfortable routine, you could and probably would become complacent about things. Your body worked on autopilot while your mind wandered, and you'd realize later you might've forgotten to brush your teeth or wash your hair. The civilized world they'd come from had been like that, every day like the last. School, homework, jobs, money.

But when every day was different, when everything was new, your senses were increased tenfold from razor-sharp focus. Takashi was glad for this focus now as he led them into the base. They worked like a well-oiled machine, their instincts sharp as ever, not dulled too badly by the relatively peaceful travel they'd had by sea.

The courtyard of the fortress was well-lit, dozens of generators and portable lights had been erected all over the place, but the very same light also created innumerable shadows in the corners and recesses. Several of them appeared to be broken or flickering, they cast no light at all. The rest only revealed a single thing to the survivors of Fujimi High School.

Nothing.

The fortress was deserted. A few bodies were found here and there on the ground, staining it dull brownish-red with dried blood, but no one alive could be found anywhere. Signs of a struggle were evident everywhere, bullet holes dotted the walls, discarded refuse and makeshift barriers were set up by some of the buildings. The smoke hadn't come from a victory barbecue. It came from smoldering buildings, burnt to the ground, and the charred inhabitants therein. Shizuka almost immediately felt ill, but suppressed the urge to be sick, holding a hand to her mouth to hold back the bile.

Takashi stepped over one of the overturned lights to find the body of a young woman in a professional-looking blouse and skirt. Hesitantly, he poked her with the end of his club, then leaned in to check for a pulse, mindful the whole while that she could animate and spring on him in an instant. Gently he grasped her shoulder and rolled her over, confirming his suspicions. Bullet hole, right to the middle of the forehead. Very clean shot.

Hopefully she hadn't felt a thing.

Rapid footsteps made his head jerk up, but it was mostly out of instinct, he knew that those reanimated never moved that fast. It was only Rei, making her way to his side. "There's no one here," she whispered, the bitterness in her voice almost tangible.

This explained why the date hadn't been changed, something had happened to the survivors. Something recent, he guessed. The bodies were, much as he disliked the term 'fresh' and hadn't been dead more than a week or so. The cold air was helping keep them preserved. There was a chance, however slim, there had been survivors. Escapees.

"We need to kee-"

"There's no one here!"

Takashi's head snapped up as the cry came out, seeming to echo in the emptiness, and saw it was Kohta, clutching his head as he repeated the mantra. "There's no one here!"

"Keep quiet, baka! We don't know if there are any of Them around!"

"Fuck that! We may as well just let them come! Don't you get it? We're finished!"

Takashi was about to protest, but it died on his lips. He'd been feeling the same way since they reached the place. Seeing the interior only confirmed it. This was another dead end. Another dead end in a long series of dead ends. They were rats in a maze trying to find cheese but doomed never to do so. All they could do was keep going round and round until they starved.

"We, uh... we've got to..." he started, trying to gather his thoughts. They had to do something, damnit.

"Takashi, your orders?"

"Komuro-kun?"

"Takashi?"

He grimaced, his head pounding. Too much to take in.

"Just gimme a minute to think!"

"What do we do now, leader?"

Kohta kept repeating his mantra, clinging to his rifle like it was a security blanket. "Game over man! Game ov-!"

POW!

Kohta went reeling, and glared up at Takashi, who had nearly knocked his glasses clean off his face with a vicious right hook.

"I don't _know_, dammit! But if we don't try then we may as well lay down and die right here and now! I plan to live! So whoever's coming with me, come with me, NOW."

Silence met that proclamation, as Takashi turned in a circle, eyeing everyone in their little group. Rei and Shizuka, Saeko and Saya, Kohta and Alice. Even little Zeke. None of them said a word otherwise, just watched him, hoping he could lead them again. He intended to.

But the silence was broken then by noise. An all-too familiar moan filled the air, coming from all directions.

Takashi swore as the first of Them stumbled out of the shadowy recesses, their gray, decaying forms instantly familiar. It didn't matter who they'd been before they were bitten. Service workers, businessmen, military officers, he even spotted a pair of school uniforms on one girl and boy. Now they were dead. And hungry.

"Back to the entrance, slowly," he said, taking his own advice and raising up his club as he stepped backwards, trusting the others to watch his back.

"Uh, Takashi...?"

Glancing over his shoulder, he cursed under his breath. More gray, decaying forms were coming from the entrance, at least a few from inside the guard rooms. They'd been silent, or slow, making their way out when they'd arrived, but now They were blocked the exit. Quickly his eyes darted around for another exit, and he quickly spotted one building that didn't have any of Them emerging from its single entrance.

"This way!" he shouted, fully aware he was drawing attention to himself as a target, and swung his iron kanbo hard as he could. The impact shattered the head of the zombie he'd chosen as his target, splattering blackish-red goo all over the ground as he took off running towards the open doorway. The others followed, Rei thrusting out with her naginata at one of Them coming too close, and Saeko following close behind to decapitate the pinned monstrosity with her katana. Their new weapons worked like a charm, steel cleaving through rotted flesh like it was butter.

Takashi managed to make it to the doorway of the smaller building, which had an antennae atop and he assumed was part of their communication relay. A dark growl erupted from inside, half-expected, and he rewarded its owner with a swift smash to the face, knocking them flat on their back and crushing their skull. Seeing no others inside he beckoned from the doorway.

"Come on in! Go go go!"

Saya and Saeko came running in past Takashi, but Rei gave a scream as one of the zombies lashed out at her, and only barely managed to block its snapping jaws with the length of her naginata. Its attack pushed her back, however, separating her.

"Rei!"

A shot rang out, and Rei's attacker was suddenly minus a head, as Kohta primed his rifle for another go and lined up a fresh target. However, with more of Them closing in around him and no close-range fighters to keep him safe, he was at a supreme disadvantage.

"Kohta-kun!"

The marksman's head snapped up as little Alice waved to him from a nearby crate, which she'd climbed up on. Behind her was a ladder that led up to the ramparts, part of the fortress that was well out of undead reach. Shizuka and Zeke were already there, but Rei was still being attacked by more of Them. He fired off another shot, stepping back slowly towards the crates and ladder. He could provide better back-up from a higher vantage.

Takashi waited a split second longer to see if Rei would be alright before hurling himself back into the fray, smashing the head of one of the attackers creeping up behind her. And nearly becoming her next victim as she swung her naginata around, the back end smashing hard into his ribs.

"Ah! Gomen!" she cried, raising up a foot and kicking at another incoming attacker, twirling her weapon over her head. Takashi, clutching his side, nodded, unable to voice he was alright just yet. Unfortunately, the dead were offering no quarter, and he swung out his club as best he could with one hand to knock one back. He missed its head, smacked its shoulder instead, but it knocked it clean off its feet, so it would be a moment before it got back to him. Rei altered her next swing to bring the blade of her weapon down low and the opposing end up high, skimming over Takashi's head while the sharp end sliced off the legs of her enemies, sending their upper bodies to the ground to flop about uselessly.

Saeko was seconds behind Takashi as her new Muramata blade swung through the air, cutting through flesh and bone as easily as putty. The fever of bloodlust washed over her like a warm bath, and she basked in it as Shinigami came to the fore. She didn't think, she didn't feel, she just _moved_. And in her movements, graceful as a dancer, her enemies fell like wheat before the sickle.

* * *

Bang!

Kohta ejected the empty magazine and threw it as hard as he could at the face of one of his attackers, where it bounced off and clattered to the ground. It was always Them! They kept ruining everything. Every time Kohta's group found somewhere nice, every time he thought they were almost home free, more of Them were there, and the living had to move on again!

Bang!

_Well fuck that!_

Bang!

Maybe he could accept all the horrible things that had happened up until this point. Put up with it, just like he always did. But there was a time when push came to shove and he'd been pushed about enough.

He could accept it was the end of the world. That was obvious, at this point. He could even, maybe, accept it was _his_ time to die. But there was no way he was going to let Saya or Alice or any of his friends get hurt, not while he had a heartbeat and two legs to stand on. He took aim at another zombie's head, lining it up in the sights, and let his anger and frustration fuel his bullets as he squeezed the trigger.

Bang!

_We haven't come this far to just quit_, he thought.

Bang!

_We're gonna kill every last one of these motherfucking dead bastards!_

Bang!

_Until we're the only ones left here!_

Click.

_And then we..._ _Click?_

Click. Click. Click.

"Uh-oh," said Kohta, even as he ejected the magazine to get a good look and confirm. Ayup. Not a single bullet left. And he'd already switched out the magazines in his flak vest.

"I'm out!" he shouted, grabbing the rifle's muzzle and lifting up the butt like a club, swinging it at the next attacker's head. It was an awkward blow but it seemed to do the trick, and they dropped like a sack of potatoes. But he couldn't fight like that indefinitely, his weapon wasn't designed for melee combat and he didn't have the sort of skill his colleagues did with close-range weapons. He'd be lucky if he could keep himself alive for long, let alone provide them with much needed backup.

As if to punctuate his thoughts, three of Them stumbled past the main group and converged on Kohta, who regarded them fearfully with a wide-eye and a grim expression. One he could kill, two he could fend off, but three was too many, even if he survived the direct encounter it was more than likely one would be able to bite him somewhere. He was going to die, he realized. But he'd go down fighting to protect his family from Them. He grimly raised his rifle and prepared to die.

* * *

Realizing there was no end to her attackers and no escape in sight, Saya utilized one of the oldest means of mass defense known to man, and bottlenecked herself between two buildings, carefully making sure to keep an eye on her back exit as she led her attackers down the front. She drew her luger P08, hesitating for firing, biting her lip as she tried to think rationally about this.

Then she noticed a lull in the firing, and realized Kohta had stopped shooting his rifle, the very distinct sounds of gunfire absent from the grunts and war-cries of her teammates and the sound of medieval weapons swinging.

Her eyes widened at the implications. What if Kohta was...?

Bang!

She fired, the gun so close to the first attacker she destroyed its head despite the small caliber. A second shot filled the air, answered by Kohta's AR-10 in the distance. He wasn't down yet. Probably just switched magazines, she realized with a smile. More gunfire filled the air, and she took a mental stock of her ammo as she fired off another shot.

She was down to two shots left and her hand trembled as more of them kept coming. If she shot now, she'd be out of bullets, and she wouldn't have any way to finish herself off if she got bit. Or Kohta. It was bad enough she'd wasted all the others, but the only other weapon she had was the wakizashi, and Saeko hadn't given her much instruction on how to use it yet.

But it was her only real option in this scenario. She holstered the luger and awkwardly grabbed the hilt of the short blade, yanking it free and holding it before her with both hands as Saeko had instructed her, spreading her legs into the proper stance. Even so, the heavy metal weapon trembled in her grasp. She couldn't do this. She wasn't like Saeko. Someone had to come protect her. Had to come save her. Just like they always did. But no one was around to do that. Saya Takagi was all alone, cut off from support and helpless save for a bit of steel in her hands. A sword she didn't even know how to use.

_Wait a minute, what the heck did that mean?_ she thought angrily. _I'm a genius, damnit! I can use anything if I put my mind to it! If I can learn how to shoot a rifle, it stands to reason I can learn how to swing a goddamn sword!_

Saya gave a wordless scream of rage and swung hard, eyes squeezed shut. She hit something, she knew she did, because she met resistance, but she just kept pushing until her blade swung free out the other side of what she'd hit. Seconds passed, and she allowed a single golden orb to pop open and survey the damage she'd done.

The grayed form of the undead soldier fell to its knees, its helmeted head rolling off onto the ground as it pitched forward, nearly hitting Saya as she leapt back.

For a second she was stunned. Did she really do that? She'd never used a sword before in her life, but... did she do that?

She did, she realized.

A smile, tiny but mischievous, appeared on her face, and with a sudden surge of confidence, she moved back into the fight with her blade upraised.

However, the battle was definitely not going in their favor. It was a fight of attrition, every head they smashed, every neck they severed, was slowly sapping their strength. And in the case of Kohta, costing bullets. Whereas the undead were relentless, never slowing, never stopping. They had no morale to sap and no fear to feel. They would continue on until every single last one of them was completely and truly dead.

A poorly timed slash of Saeko's katana accidently splattered blood all over Takashi, and he took a moment to wipe the offending fluids from his face and clear his vision. What he saw did not please him, however. They were still vastly outnumbered and getting more and more tired. Rei and Kohta were fighting side-by-side at the far end of the compound, Saya was boxed in by a few of Them but seemed to be doing surprisingly well. Saeko was surrounded, but instead of terrifying him, he felt almost relieved. She was able to really cut loose now, and was even smiling as she tore through the undead ranks.

Little did she notice one of the undead monsters, bereft of its lower body thanks to Rei, slowly crawling along the ground towards the back of the ginger-haired girl's legs...

* * *

Saeko didn't fight the heat, the fever this time. She let it wash over her like the most exquisite of drugs. It filled her entire body with a strength unparalleled. With her new sword and the skills she'd learned under her father, she cut a bloody swathe throught he horde of corpses attacking her.

In her mind, she had always pictured her other self as a dark, viscous poison, washing over her soul, staining it black with evil. Her love of Takashi, and his love for her, helped to wash away that darkness and made her feel pure and virtuous again. Now, she let it wash over her and wrap around her like a second skin in her mind and soul, holding back nothing. His love wasn't conditional, it didn't changed her. It only made her stronger.

Shinigami took command of her body, peered out through her reflective sapphire eyes, and swung her sword at their enemies.

She flung herself forward bodily, executing a flawless roll into the midst of a small crowd of Them, surrounding herself with enemies. It was no fun waiting for them to come to her, she brought the fight to her enemies instead. Sword lashed out, decapitating two on her left. One zombie on her right reached out to grab her, but she grabbed his wrist and swung him around to knock a fourth attacker back, following up with small jump and a vicious dropkick that caught it full in the face and knocked the undead creature flat on its back. She followed up with a sweeping swing of her sword to decapitate her downed opponent.

She loved this. She wasn't moving, she was dancing.

Suddenly a hand slipped through her defense, clamping down on her arm just below her elbow. The awkward position prevented an immediate counter attack as she twisted and pulled hard, trying to dislodge the grip. Unfortunately, this brought her into the sudden embrace of another one of Them, whose decaying arms wrapped around her in what might almost be called an intimate grip, were it not ruined by the fetid breath washing over her shoulder as teeth came dangerously close to flesh.

For half a second, she _almost_ panicked.

Then her training and her killer instincts came to bear, and she kicked up hard, knocking the first zombie's head back and breaking their grip on her arm. But she was far from done as she jumpeed and planting her feet in their chest. Swiftly pushing her weight up she kicked off and executed a backflip over her second attacker, landing behind them and sliding out of their grasp as slippery as an eel. Her sword lashed out, and they found themselves missing half of their head, their body hitting the ground seconds later.

Her head snapped up, seeking a new target, when she spotted Kohta's peril.

The groups marksman was clutching his rifle to him like a club, thrusting out with the butt of it to knock his attackers onto their backs and away from him. But one grabbed at the offending piece of metal and held on tightly, then used his other hand to swipe at Kohta, who stumbled backwards to avoid its deadly embrace. Kohta fell backwards, fully prepared to die, but in that instant there was a whistling noise, and then sound of three dull thuds.

Daring to peek his only good eye open, Kohta blinked in surprise when he saw Saeko swinging her sword in a wide arc to flick the blood from it. And this before the three now headless bodies struck the ground, the middle one nearly hitting Kohta as he scrambled backwards out of its way. For a second, his comrade looked far more terrifying than any undead monster, eyes glinting in the darkness like a pair of highbeams and a wide grin on her face.

Then in an instant she turned and launched herself back into the fray, booted foot coming up to deliver a sweeping roundhouse kick to one of Them, following up with a sword strike that pierced the next one clean through the eye socket.

"Kohta-chan! Kohta-chan!"

Scrambling to his feet, Kohta saw Alice come running towards him, something carried in her arms. She skidded to a halt at his side and held up the contents, displaying a number of gun magazines and shells she'd collected from the edge of the battlefield from fallen soldiers and civilians. Grateful, Kohta quickly did inventory, taking it all in at a glance. Shells, clips, most of them for small-caliber handguns, but there amongst them was just what he needed.

"Hand me the magazine," he instructed, pulling the bolt back on his AR-10 and shifting it in his arms to again bring it to bear.

"Last ones!" Alice replied, and tossed the ammo to him. He made an awkward catch, fumbling, but managed to avoid dropping the magazine, switching it to his other hand and smoothly sliding it into place, priming his rifle. Only twenty shots. He had to make each and every single one count.

* * *

"Get to higher ground!" shouted Takashi, smashing another zombie in the gut and following up with a kick in the face when its head went down, knocking it on its back. It would slow it down while he took his own advice, and follow Kohta's example. He bolted for some stacked crates, climbing up atop of them, pausing midway up when one began to teeter dangerously. Obviously his perch wasn't very secure. But a second later he'd found a safer path up and used them to grab the iron railing of the balcony and climb up to relative safety. Only two of Them had made it up here, following the sounds of Kohta's gunshots, and Takashi ambushed them from behind, smashing one's head in and kicking the other off the side of the fortress and down outside of it to splat against the cold ground.

Rei leapt up onto a box, kicking off hard to reach the railing, but her unsteady perch tumbled out from underneath her legs, and she only barely managed to grasp the metal bar before it vanished underneath her, hitting one of Them in the face but doing little damage. Leaving her dangling from the ramparts like she was a piece of meat being lowered into a pen of hungry tigers. A piece of meat in a short green skirt she'd still managed to hold on to since the days of Fujimi High School.

To think, a month ago, she might've been concerned with one of her attackers getting an eyeful of her panties.

Right now, she just kicked and pulled, trying to lift herself up. One of Them reached for her, decaying and broken hands grasping for her ankle, but was suddenly intercepted by a blur of white, as Zeke latched on to the zombie's ankle and did his best to bring down an opponent nearly five times his size. Naturally, he failed, but it was enough of an opportunity to act.

Takashi grabbed Rei's arm and helped yank her up and over the railing. Rei was grateful, but stumbled, slipping over one of the bars, and tumbled clean over the side onto the balcony, hitting her head hard and rolling onto her side, clutching at her skull. The fact that she didn't immediately pass out told them it wasn't serious but for a moment at least she couldn't even think straight, it hurt too much.

Cursing up a storm, Takashi glanced over the railing where at least another dozen or so of the zombies had gathered, weakly reaching up to try and grab them. Some of them were working their way around to the stairs leading up the ramparts, but they were being intercepted by expert shots from Kohta on the other end. Furiously, Takashi lifted up his club and banged it on the metal railing, the sound echoing loudly and instantly drawing more attention. Exactly what he wanted. He kept banging, never mind the pain shooting up his arms from each hit, and kept drawing in more of them. Seeing this, Kohta stopped firing with a few shots left, and the others retreated at the other end of the courtyard as quiet as ghosts, effectively invisible to the walking dead.

"Hungry? Come and get some!" he shouted, throwing down his club and unslinging his shotgun, loading in the last shell and pumping it, even as he continued to kick at the railing to make more noise. Rei quickly did the same, kicking a nearby railing with her foot, the sound echoing very distinctly, making her wince as the ache in her head slowly died down to more manageable levels.

"COME AND GET ME YOU SONS OF BITCHES!" he shouted, adding his voice to the sounds to draw in the last of Them. One of his attackers, a busty young woman with a torn throat, weakly grabbed at his feet, trying to pull him down. Her fetid breath washed over him as her jaw snapped together again and again, trying to fit warm flesh in her mouth.

"I.. HAVE HAD.. ENOUGH OF YOU!" he roared. He thrust the muzzle of his shotgun right between the yellow teeth of his attacker and pulled the trigger. Such was the force of the explosion that blood and body parts erupted into the air, splashing over Takashi and temporarily blinding him to the devastation down below.

Grimly wiping at his forehead to clear the sweat and blood-soaked hair from his face, Takashi looked first left, then right, iron club upraised as he tossed the now useless shotgun down. But to his surprise, he saw no targets. Glancing down at the middle of the compound, he didn't see a single moving figure. Everything was perfectly still, perfectly quiet.

Until a cry of anguish ripped through the air, a male's. Takashi leapt clean over the balcony and to ground level, sprinting to where Kohta and the girls were. Rei was close behind him, clutching her head as her adrenaline faded and the shooting pain subsided, but a more profound dull ache started to set in. The two skidded to a halt at the horrifying scene to be found there.

"No..." breathed Takashi.

Shizuka came around last, stumbling down the stairway, wondering what everyone was staring at, and then spotted it. Bright red blood staining the back of Saya's khaki pants, near the ankle. She was lucky to still be standing, her Achilles tendon must've been spared, and the bite brief. But no matter how brief it'd been, they all knew what happened to someone after you got bitten by one of Them.

The implications were instantaneous. The horror was slower as it crept up over the group. Shizuka's hands flew to her mouth, barely holding back an oath. "Oh god..."

Saya, staring wide-eyed at nothing, suddenly felt all strength drain from her legs, and collapsed onto her knees in the muddy ground, her wakizashi clattering onto the ground beside her. She lowered her head and started to cry. Kohta was at her side in an instant, but he had no idea what to do.

"Saya..."

Wordless, Saya reached up, and Kohta reached for her with his free hand, determined to hold her and comfort her as she needed. But she gently pushed his hand out of the way and grabbed the muzzle of his rifle, resting under his other arm. Without a word, without even looking up, she pointed it directly at her head.

"Do it," she said simply.

He stiffened and bit his lip hard, so hard he almost drew blood. She was right, he thought. He had to do this. Or she'd die in torment and agony. And worse than that, she'd reanimate and come after all of them. Maybe him, maybe little Alice. He had to do this. He had to be strong for her. Just like he had to be strong for Asami. Very reluctantly he tugged back on the action of his AR-10 to prime it, and did his best to hold it steady at her forehead as Saya lowered her head and closed her eyes.

He could hear Rei sobbing softly, clinging to Takashi and crying into his shoulder. Nearby Saeko dispassionately watched the scene unfold, while Shizuka had turned away, unable to watch. Alice clung to her as she kept on looking, unable to tear her eyes away. But he blocked it all out, focused wholly on his task, on the job at hand. He had to do this.

Kohta's finger twitched as he tried to squeeze off the shot, but his whole hand had gone numb. He couldn't make it do what he wanted to. Somehow the signals from his brain weren't extending down his arm to his hand. He kept thinking, somewhat absurdly, of his encounter with the Takagi's, and how she had come to his rescue.

_He may be some good for nothing military nerd, but I would have been one of those corpses by now if it wasn't for him._

"I can't," he croaked out, barely more than a whisper.

"Do it, Kohta-kun. Please..."

"I... I can't," he repeated, more firmly. He really couldn't. His hand had gone numb.

"Do it!" she shrieked angrily, squeezing her eyes shut.

"I can't!" he replied, lowering the rifle. Angrily Saya grabbed at the muzzle and pressed it to her forehead. She couldn't let this happen. She couldn't turn into one of Them. She'd rather die while still human.

"DO IT YOU FATASS MORON! DO IT!"

"I JUST CAN'T DO IT!" he shouted back, and hurled his gun as far away as he could. It was a testimony to his state of mind that he hadn't even bothered to switch the safety on before he'd thrown. Or that he'd even thrown it in the first place.

"BAAKAA!" screamed Saya, launching herself at Kohta and smashing her tiny fists against his flak jacket ineffectively.

At this point, Alice couldn't hold it in anymore than Saya could, and burst into tears, screaming for her daddy. Takashi grimly shut his eyes, trying to block out all the sounds, but they hammered at his psyche, threatening to crack him like an eggshell. _This can't be happening. It just can't_. They were supposed to all make it to the promised land, wherever that was. But now... it was Hisashi all over again. Saya was going to turn and they'd have to kill her, or she'd kill them. And Kohta couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger.

Someone has to do it for them, he realized with a sinking feeling in his stomach. Someone who was taking responsibility for this band of misfits. Their leader. But Takashi couldn't do that. Saya was a childhood friend, the little sister he'd never had. He couldn't.

With some obvious reluctance marring her graceful movements, Saeko stepped forward, hand resting on the hilt of her sword.

"With your permission..." she intoned softly, though it was unclear if she was addressing Saya or Kohta. Or perhaps both of them. None the less, Saya nodded, and Kohta offered zero protest as she withdrew her blade from its sheath. The pink-haired woman lowered her head and squeezed her eyes shut once again, this time stretching out her pale neck to make it as quick and clean as possible.

"Just... Busujima-sempai, please..."

"I will watch over him," she intoned quietly, raising up her katana in both hands.

Steeling herself, Shizuka forced herself to look back, to remember Saya Takagi. Part of their family. She wouldn't look away like a coward, she had to be brave. For the other's sakes. Golden eyes flicked up to take in the sight, terrifying though it was...

_... wait a minute... was that...?_

"**WAIT**!"

Coming from the perpetually soft-spoken blond, the single simple word echoed throughout the air like she'd struck a gong. Everyone immediately froze, their attention instantly to her. Saeko lowered her blade in confusion.

"It wasn't one of Them, look!"

Shizuka made her way to Saya's side and knelt down, grasping at the rip in the back of her khakis. She tore the back of her pants further up, all the way up to her knee and a little higher, baring more of her leg for visibility. Taking a cloth from the pocket of her ruined skirt, she dabbed at the wound to clean it a little, eliciting a hiss of pain from her patient. The bite was more obvious now, a collection of dark indents surrounded by bright crimson. Rei and Takashi shared a glance, puzzled. What did she see that they didn't? It was plain as day Saya had been bitten. Wasn't it?

Shizuka looked up, and used her finger to measure along the mark. As well as point out two particularly deep marks.

"The human's mouth is much too small to make this sort of wound. And these here, these were made by cuspids. Also known as canine teeth."

All eyes turned to Zeke, who whined pitifully, managing to somehow look incredibly guilty.

"He must have bitten Saya by accident in the fray," theorized Rei.

"Is there any way to be 100% sure?" Kohta asked, frantically clinging to the hope.

Takashi had the answer, grim though it was. "Wait an hour or so. If she doesn't turn..."

"She won't!" Alice shouted firmly, clinging to Saya's arm.

* * *

Saya was carried by Kohta to one of the disused buildings that seemed like a medical station, and Shizuka cleaned up and bandaged her leg with the materials on hand. As well as bandaged Takashi's bruised side and examined Rei's head, giving her some painkillers to manage her painful headache. They managed to clean up some of the blood staining their clothes. Then, they took what they needed and cleared out the room, emptying it of anyone but Saya and Saeko, the latter armed with her sword. The rest waited outside in dreadful anticipation for what may or may not happen.

Half an hour passed...

The rest of the team started to gather up supplies, double-checking for survivors and watching for any more signs of Them lurking in the vicinity. But anyone they hadn't killed had already been long dead by the time the team had arrived. Night fell over the fortress, forcing them to work in the dark, little Alice passing out flashlights to aid their searches.

An hour passed...

And apart from feeling nauseous and looking a little green around the gills, Saya did not change.

Thankfully that one major crisis had been avoided, Takashi turned his attention to the next. Mainly, what to do. But here, in the middle of a broken battlefield, was hardly the best place to toss out ideas and debate. He resolved they should at least return to the Mimei. He tried to issue out an order to that effect, but for some reason the words died in his throat. He couldn't bring himself to admit it, but it seemed all too obvious they'd failed.

They roamed through the now empty safe haven, finding what they could take with them. As it turned out, the EMP had never hit this far south, so a lot of their electronics were still functioning. Some of which helped them, a lot of which didn't. Not much use for a cell phone when nobody was around to pick up the call, after all. They also found some more 51mm magazines, which Kohta packed listlessly. Almost mechanically. Unfortunately the refrigeration units had been broken into, the produce food was rotten and useless. And they already had ample canned goods to last them a while. All in all, the trip was a complete waste.

Takashi made one very distinct last stop before the group left the Kumejima settlement, deliberately holding them up. He strode into the communications building and lifted up his club. And he brought it down hard to smash the transmitter beaming out the signal. And he didn't stop smashing until it was only so much scrap underneath his weapon, and Rei had to gently drag him out of the building and back into the light of Alice's flashlight.

No one was speaking, no one had anything left to say. They just grabbed what they needed, loaded up the yacht, and set sail, leaving the hope of salvation behind in Okinawa as they travelled north-northeast, back towards Japan. There were no more signals on the radio. No one had any clue where they were going really. And most of them didn't even care anymore.

The night skies were thick with cloud cover, obscuring the stars and threatening rain to come. Another storm was coming.

* * *

When the storm hit, it was like a meteor strike. It struck hard and pummeled mercilessly at the Mimei, tossing the white yacht around and its inhabitants about inside of it like they were gum in a gumball machine. They didn't dare go outside, the winds and water were so fierce Takashi feared they would be swept clean over the side and lost to the mercy of the storm. An oxymoron if he ever there was one.

But it passed quickly, scarcely more than an hour had gone by before the rains and winds died down, leaving behind the crew of the Mimei to survey the damage. And as luck would have it, their mast was part of the destruction. They hadn't had a chance to bring it down before the winds had swept up, and the frame had snapped, sending it crashing down along the length of the ship, the sails fluttering weakly in the now calm breeze. Takashi suggested they prop it back up and use some rope to try and hold it in position, and lacking a better suggestion, they got to work.

"This'd be easier if we could weld it," muttered Rei, as she wound a rope around the mast, passing it back and forth with Kohta, who sat on the other side.

Takashi and Saeko held up the mast while they worked. "We'd risk setting a fire if we had a blowtorch. Or someone getting hurt. This'll have to do until we get back to Japan."

"And then?" asked Rei, glancing up at Takashi.

He didn't answer. He never did, not anymore.

Before, it might've been able to at least come up with a vague idea. Maybe we'll do this, or we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. But now... now he didn't even try. It was disheartening. Most of them couldn't blame their leader for his defeatist attitude, all of them felt the exact same way. Right now they were just going through the motions. Continuing on because it was all they could really do.

_He's giving up_, thought Rei, a dark frown crossing her pretty features. _He's just giving up. Again_!

_Then again... can I really blame him, this time? He's done more than enough, maybe this time..._

She let the thought trail off, deliberately not finishing it.

At the back of the ship, Saya reclined against the aft, shivering miserably and coughing. Alice draped a blanket over her to help keep her warm, but it wasn't helping much. Her coughing had been getting worse, and she was cold to the touch when Shizuka took a moment to examine her. She desperately hoped she wasn't coming down with pneumonia. Though they'd pilfered a few medical supplies from the Kumejima fortress, they didn't have much, and fewer still suitable for treating something like that. Her best cure at this point was to rest somewhere dry, warm, and comfortable. Conditions not readily available on a boat in the middle of the ocean. But with the engine in a questionable state and the sails broken, they might not be able to make land soon enough if she got worse.

"Alright we're set," said Takashi as they unfurled the sails once more and used the winds to push their ship back towards the Japan mainland. Unfortunately the skies had chosen just that moment to go calm, and progress was slow. Rubbing his head and trying desperately to fight off a migraine, Takashi suggested they all take a chance to rest, and turned to Shizuka, the least tired of them.

"Shizuka-san, do you think you can take the wheel for a while?"

The blonde woman nodded and sank into the seat as Takashi announced he was going to rest in the cabin. Saeko soon joined him, but Rei lay down at the back of the yacht to stay in the open air and the sunlight a little longer, what little there was of both. Not a word was spoken as the ship continued on towards it destination.

Alice plopped down onto the floor beside Shizuka, absent-mindedly petting Zeke as he rested in her lap.

"It'll work out, somehow, won't it?" she asked the little puppy.

Zeke looked up at her, as if he understood her words, but didn't reply beyond a low whine. Then again, maybe he was just hungry.

* * *

Rei didn't say a word when she joined Takashi and Saeko below deck in the master cabin, just slipped off her shirt and crawled under the covers to join them. Takashi softly wrapped his arms around her as she settled into them comfortably, shivering. The heating on the boat had broken along with the engine, and there wasn't a mechanic on hand to repair it. They had to huddle together for warm, just as they were doing now. Rei sighed gently, grateful to be in Takashi's warm arms, but reminded herself she had important questions she needed to ask.

"Takashi?"

"Mmm," he replied, not even bothering to lift his head from the pillow. His eyes flickered open, however, meeting her gaze. Behind him, Saeko shifted, evidently still awake and alert as well.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

He didn't reply for a moment. It was as if the question didn't register. Then, his face twisted as if he was in deep thought, and he finally managed to reply "it could have been much worse."

"Worse?"

"... we all made it out of Kumejima alive and with only a few minor injuries," he explained. "We're no better off than we were before but... we're no worse off either."

She hesitated a moment longer but finally posed the question of "What are we going to do now, Takashi?"

"... go back to Japan," he said after a long moment. "Try and find somewhere safe to anchor and go ashore."

"And after that?"

He seemed to think on this a while, before sighing heavily. "I don't know," he replied, burying his head in her shoulder.

"But we have to keep going, right?" she asked.

He didn't reply.

"Right?" she repeated, her voice cracking just a little at the end. _Don't do this to me Takashi. Please. I need you to be strong for me. To tell me its going to be alright. Please_.

"Takashi?"

Silenty as an owl, Saeko raised her head, lifting a finger to press to her lips, indicating silence. She then pointed down at Takashi with the same finger. Rei followed it, saw he was already fast asleep. The day's ordeal had evidently wearied him to the point that he'd just passed out. Probably without meaning to either. With a heavy sigh, Rei rested herself back down and drew the covers of the bed up over the three of them, cuddled close for added warmth, and fell into a fitful sleep. Maybe tomorrow things would be better. Maybe.

In the darkness, Rei felt a hand slip around Takashi to come and rest over hers. Saeko patted it, without words saying it was going to be alright.

Maybe.

* * *

A day and a half later, the broken husk of the Mimei drifted aimlessly back towards the island of Japan. It was in sight now, so close. But they could see already the city they were approaching was dead, just like everything else was. Heavy plumes of smoke filled the air, and ash began to drift down from the sky like gray snow.

Shizuka slumped lifelessly in the chair of the Mimei, one hand resting on the wheel, the other across her stomach. She missed Rika. And Cheisu. She loved the kids dearly, like they were all little brothers and sisters she'd never had. But she needed someone her own age to talk to. To share her experiences with. But she was all alone. Even with the others, she was all alone. And so very, very tired. Her eyes drifted closed, and she decided she'd take a brief nap. Maybe she would dream. It was always nicer when she was dreaming.

The white yacht continued on, heedless of her lack of driving, drifting helplessly at the mercy of the wind and waves.

Takashi slowly lifted his head, about to call out for Shizuka to alter their course further west, try for another city, but the words died in his throat. What was the point anymore? The next city would be just like the last. All of them were. This one was as good a place to lay down and die. In any case, he saw Shizuka was fast asleep at the wheel, her head rolling back against the too-short backrest of the chair. She wasn't even snoring. Alice lay curled up at her feet, also fast asleep. So was Zeke, cuddled against her for warmth.

Saya's coughing continued to fill the air, and Takashi managed to lift his head, turning to spy her by the middle of the ship with Kohta, who had one arm draped around her and another patting her back, trying to help clear her lungs. It wasn't helping. She kept on coughing and hacking, hands pressed against her mouth to try and hold it in, mouth wide to desperately draw in oxygen. She was sick. Dying, maybe. And they had no medicine to help her. Even if they could properly diagnose her affliction.

Finally, however, her coughs subsided, then stopped completely for a while, and she slumped wearily against Kohta, unable to find the strength to remain upright. Or conscious, it seemed. He himself did not look very good either, dark rings encircled his eyes from a sleepless night of watching over her. He lay back against the hull of the Mimei and tugged off his glasses, setting them atop of his head. He couldn't see but, honestly he didn't care anymore. The frames were hurting his nose and all he ever saw was death anyway.

Takashi gazed around at the broken ship, the burnt out crew, the gray and lifeless horizon. How had it come to this? Barely two weeks ago, they had just escaped from Yokota Air Base, reasonably fresh, and in good spirits. All that had gone. They were fading away, each and every one of them slowly dying inside bit by bit. Ever since the Outbreak had started, they'd fought hard to stay alive, but in the end, had it really mattered? The world would never go back to the way things were. Anyone who thought differently was a fool. He'd convinced himself he knew that, but really, deep down, he'd hoped for a happy ending to their story. And it didn't seem one was coming at all.

He suddenly thought, somewhat absurdly, that things really had changed. He remembered priorities he'd had a month ago. Things he'd never accomplish now.

_I'll never drive a car, never have a beer with my old man, never graduate from high school. Let alone an accredited university. I'll never get a chance to take Rei or Saeko to the Spring Dance. We'll never go to the movies, never marry, never have kids. Though in a world this messed up, maybe that was for the best. Maybe humanity had really, truly, completely screwed up this time, and the outbreak had been their punishment. It certa__inly felt like Hell on Earth_, he mused. It was all over, and he'd failed to save his family. Either his real one or the one drawn closely together by adversity.

Despair gripped his heart in its icy clutches as the cold air washed over him.

Rei and Saeko did not abandon him during this time, for which he was grateful. Both of his girls lay against his side, hands on his chest as they held him close for mutual warmth. And he did the same for them, though he felt profoundly weak. They had long since gone to sleep out of sheer exhaustion, but continued to shiver and squirm, bodies wracked by the cold and minds tormented by nightmares. He wished he could comfort them, but he had no comforts left. No hopes and dreams. All of it had turned to smoke and been swept away by the cold winds.

As ash settled into his hair, turning it prematurely gray, Takashi's eyes started to drift closed. He gave a weak groan of protest, trying to fight it, but it was as if every particle of dust weighed a million pounds. Each one settled atop of him, and his eyelids felt heavier, and heavier, and heavier. His one last view was of the coast of Japan, before darkness washed over them.

The world had ended in thirty-one days.

* * *

**Author's Notes  
**I got nothing, save to add that the Drifters of the Dead OVA was one of the most messed up things I've ever watched.


	8. 07 Bloat

**_VII – Bloat_**

"S_ee how nature – the trees, flowers, grass –  
__grows in silence. See the stars, the moon and  
__the sun, how they move in silence. We need  
__Silence to be able to touch souls_."

- **Mother Teresa**.

* * *

**Yokota Air Base, Japan  
****0735 hours,  
****Z Day + 32**

Behind her, safety and security.

Before her, danger and disaster.

"Sounds like fun," she said in a musical tone, tugging her sunglasses down onto her face, shielding her eyes from the sunlight. The rising sun was bouncing light off of the ample clouds in the sky, seemingly brighter than it truly was. It would fade in an hour or so, when it climbed higher, and the clouds shielded them from its bright view.

Stepping out of the barracks, more than a few workers glanced up as she walked past. Tall and slim, with a tight black bodysuit that enhanced all her natural curves, putting them on full display, she was easily a prized catch. Any man would be happy to have a woman such as her in their bed. But a knowing smile and a confident gait warned them away. _Yes boys_, she said with her movements, _you can look all you want, but no touching_.

A crossbow was strapped to her back, and an M9 pistol rested within easy reach on her right hip. Her long, luxurious hair was drawn into a ponytail, and of course, a pair of ruby sunglasses covered her face, hiding her eye color behind opaque frames.

She made her way past the construction, past the devastation. Things had been a mess ever since the last incident, nearly two weeks ago, and everyone was on edge, waiting for another. Everyone entering the base was vigorously screened, almost to the point of it being a violation of human rights, and perimeter checks were the norm now. Not so much as a rat or a cockroach slipped into Yokota Air Base these days without two forms of ID and an inspection by a medical professional.

Thankfully, it was going to be a lot easier to get out than in.

"Sergeant!"

Her head snapped up by reflex, even though she'd just finished turning in her badge and rifle. Technically, she was a civilian now, but as the old saying goes: old habits die hard.

A young man in a United States military uniform came jogging up. She remembered him, and even if she hadn't, his name was conveniently stitched onto his right breast. And his rank on either of his arms. Airman First Class Baker.

"We heard you were leaving us," he said, taking a moment to catch his breath.

"News travels fast. So who leaked?"

He shrugged, having no idea where he'd originally heard the news from. "It's a small base," he replied ruefully. "Word gets around fast."

That was certainly true. Maybe she shouldn't have let slip her plans to retire from the military last night. Then again, it was common knowledge she'd been lobbying with her superiors for days on end to re-enter the wastelands, but she'd been denied every time. And for what? To be put on guard duty for crying out loud. She was the best shot on the whole base, arguably, and they had her watching the gates for the very rare dead-head sighting or for marauders. As if marauders were stupid enough to attack a military installation. She'd told them as much on more than one occasion, asking, begging at times, for a reprieve. No matter how brief. Each and every time denied, for one petty reason or another. No, everyone here knew she was fed up with the bureaucrats and officers running the place.

Besides, if she lingered much longer, she wouldn't be in any condition to leave for the foreseeable future. That wasn't an option.

As far as she was concerned, all she'd managed to achieve by coming to Yokota was to get intelligence on her friend and some anti-radiation medicine. Everything else she had was stuff she'd brought with her from her home.

"So you're really going?"

She favored him with a smile, coming back to the here and now. "Have to. I made a promise. I've been trying to work within the system but push finally came to shove."

"You're going to be missed around here. Especially down at the shooting range," he said. Then, more seriously, "And we need all the help we can get to fix things up around here."

"Sorry. I'd love to stay and help, I really would, but I made a promise. Friend of mine is still out there."

He grimaced, and took a moment to consider his next few words as the two of them walked along to the main gate. "Uhm, Sergeant I don't mean to be rude but... if anyone's still out there... well, we were told..."

"She's alive."

Two simple words, but she spoke them with near perfect certainty. As if simply stating that the sun would rise tomorrow.

"But..."

"And so, based on that reasoning, it's a very simple mission. I have to go find her. She _is_ alive but she's hopeless without me. Maybe once I _do_ find her I'll come back, but no promises of course."

He dogged along behind her as she made her way down the main road, past some refugee tents. Civilians and the like watched them go as they went about their daily routines. Several soldiers, a mix of United States Air Force and Japanese Self Defense Forces, kept close watch from their posts on the street. Orders from on high. To avoid a repeat of the incident that had nearly wiped out the base.

"I can come with," he said as he followed her. "Watch your back."

_Especially below the waist_, she heard unsaid in his offer. Baker was sweet but anyone could tell he was more interested in her body than he was in her cause. "And disobey direct orders?"

"I'll resign, like you did."

She barked a laugh, head thrown back at the absurdity of it all. Clapping a hand on his shoulder, she shook her head. "Baker... Will," she used his first name, hoping to get through to him. "I won't deny your superiors are sugar-coating or glossing over some of the details, but they are right about one thing. It's dangerous out there. Not dangerous like the front lines of Iraq or Afghanistan. It's like stepping into the pits of Hell itself. You wouldn't make it, let alone be able to watch my back. You'd just slow me down."

"Besides," she quickly added, seeing his expression droop. "You're more use to them here. Rebuilding is your job. I'm no good at that sort of thing. You are."

He lowered his head, perhaps a little ashamed. She was right and they both knew it. Baker hadn't seen fighting like others had, he'd been fresh out of Basic Training when the outbreak had occurred. The only time he'd seen trouble was during the incidents on base, and both times he'd been on the far side of the base, by the flight line. He wasn't a fighter, he was a mechanic.

But she was a fighter. A damn good one too.

"Say good-bye to Jimmy for me, would you?" she asked, as they finally reached their destination. A parking lot just within the main gates. It also featured a hastily erected chain-link fence barrier, a stopgap measure in case the main gates were compromised. Mostly military Humvees that hadn't been affected by the EMP, or else had since been repaired, were sitting between the white lines. Among them, the sleek crimson motorcycle looked as out of place as a girl scout amongst football players.

She didn't even need to flash her ID to the guards, who let her through without comment. As she thought, it was going to be much simpler to get out than in.

Taking the keys out of her pocket, she sat down on her beloved Honda VX1000F and revved up the engine, relieved to hear it purr to life beneath her. Like her old car, it had been specifically designed to resist the effects of an EMP blast, as well as close to a quarter more fuel efficient for a normal bike of its make. She'd paid more than a small sum of money for all the modifications, but they were most definitely paying themselves off. Especially since money was rapidly becoming fire fuel instead of currency.

And people had called her paranoid. Well who was laughing now?

Wrapping a scarf around her neck and tugging a jacket on over her bodysuit, she prepared to depart, giving her bike a quick check to make sure everything was functioning properly, as well as giving the gate guards, Cody and Lee, plenty of time to go through procedures and open the gates.

Satisfied, she didn't even bother with a helmet as she kicked the stand and revved the engine, taking off like a shot out of the parking lot, through the open gates, and out of Yokota Air Base.

Behind her, boredom and drudgery.

Before her, purpose and activity.

Baker watched as the gates closed, waving stupidly as she sped off down the road, heading southwest. According to the gate guards, her friend had last been seen in the company of some high school kids heading that way in a stolen humvee.

Smiling to herself, Rika Minami added a little more fuel and poured more speed on, whizzing across the landscape like a bat out of hell. However, as her figure fell further and further into the distance, the landscape loomed up to swallow her, the sound of her motorcycles engines fading until only silence remained.

* * *

**Unknown Coastal City, Japan  
****Same Time,  
****Same Day.**

Bump.

Takashi's eyes jerked open at the contact, some dulled instinct of survival telling him he was in danger. He tried to sit up, but grimaced weakly as he felt weighed down by a thousand pounds. At least. Groaning weakly, he redoubled his efforts, and found the weights slowly vanished. All but two supple forms resting to either side of him, that continued to weigh him down.

Saeko and Rei. Both fast asleep, clinging to his arms.

"Oh yeah," he murmured. Now he remembered. They'd fallen asleep sometime just before they reached... ah, they'd reached Japan. That explained the bump.

As delicately as he could, he sat all the way up, breathing in after a moment and then coughing as his lungs filled with dust. Despite his best efforts, the movements dislodged the two girls, and they started to rise as well, sluggish, slow, and weak as kittens.

"What's going on?" asked Rei, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. A month ago, the gesture would've looked adorable, now she only looked tired. Sleep on their journey had done nothing to provide them rest. They awoke more worn out than when they went to sleep.

Takashi stood up on shaky legs and peered over the bow of the ship, trying to clear the cobwebs from his brain and focus. It seemed the Mimei had struck land. Completely missed a nearby dock, in fact, which was most fortunate since all of them had drifted off and never even seen it coming while they'd continued onwards so recklessly. They might not have damaged the ship much, but someone could've been hurt.

They'd reached the coast of Japan, a city of smaller size than Tanuki, left behind almost a week ago, but a thriving metropolis none-the-less. Past the larger buildings in its center, it spread out far as the eye could see, though now most of its structures were dark and empty. No signs of light, no signs of life. The wind howled through an empty cadaver of a city, devoid of people. Ash drifted through the air on the breeze, emanating from fires that had long since burned themselves out, with nothing left to consume.

"We've arrived," he croaked, feeling no joy in the statement. Then, clearing his throat and saying more firmly "We're here!" so the others could hear. He spat over the side of the ship. Not out of disgust, just to clear his throat of phlegm.

Kohta awoke with a jerk of his leg, nearly pitching clean over the side of the ship given the precarious situation in which he'd fallen asleep. Naturally, Saya almost went with him, before the two of them managed to retain their balance with some wild flailing of limbs. Naturally, Saya's exertions agitated her already delicate physical state, and in no time at all she was coughing again.

"Uweh?" Shizuka murmured as she lifted her head from the wheel, eyes drifting open to half-slits. "I was having the strangest dream... about a castle and... Cheisu... or was it Rika?"

Takashi stepped up onto the deck beside her, then kneeled down to gently shake Alice awake. "Alice-chan," he coaxed. "It's time to get up."

"Don't wanna," the little girl replied, eyes screwed tightly shut, clinging to Zeke for warmth. "Don't wanna go to school..."

Takashi smiled, wholly unable to help himself. It was so heartfelt innocent he almost laughed. Almost. Unfortunately, he didn't think his body would hold up under the strain, and simply continued his efforts to wake the little girl and her dog.

Waking them up to a world long dead.

* * *

"Status?"

Kohta muffled a cough behind his arm as he shoved down the covering over the engine, looking up at Takashi with a single sad eye. "Look, I'm no expert but..."

"Status?" Takashi repeated wearily, not wanting a long-winded explanation. Just the facts, plain and simple, if you please.

"Short of it? We're completed fu-" he stopped, cutting off his last remark before Alice could hear. But Takashi got the message anyway. "-inished. Complete finished," Kohta settled on instead.

"So what now?" asked Rei, tossing down one of their packs. Below the Mimei on the shoreline, Saeko caught it, setting it beside the others. They'd been unloading their gear for about an hour now, since it was fairly obvious their stolen yacht wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Alice and Shizuka, under the guidance of Saya, were distributing the canned food amongst their packs, but no one was in any sort of real hurry.

Everyone was waiting for Takashi's decision.

And he realized he'd made it already. "Hey Kohta?"

The one-eyed Marksman glanced up from where he was tugging on his vest, finishing the motion as he stood up. "Yeah?"

"We still getting a signal on the radio?"

"Uh, we haven't heard anything in a day or two, no..."

"Give it another check, would you?"

Kohta obliged, even as the rest of them continued to unload their things onto the sandy shore, making sure to separate what they needed from what they could do without. They were being forced to leave behind the fishing gear and a lot of Saya's book collection. Several long minutes of static and warped noises later, Kohta looked up sadly to confirm he could get no signal. That sealed the deal for Takashi, as he held out his hands for the radio.

"Thank you, Hirano-san," he said formally, accepting the radio into his hands as if it was accepting a great gift. His expression was almost serene, perfectly at peace.

Then it contorted with anger as he lifted the hunk of metal over his head and hurled it as far as he could towards the ocean. It splashed into the dark waters maybe a half-dozen meters away. All in all, it wasn't an Olympic level throw, but it gave testimony to his frustrations that he'd gotten it to go quite so far.

Exhaling noisily, Takashi leapt over the side of the Mimei and landed on the beach, where everyone was staring at him like he was mad.

"Look," he said, addressing the group, well aware of how crazy he must've looked. "We almost got killed in Kumejima, and it's because we lost sight of what we should be doing. The world's... the world's over," he said after a moment's hesitation. He hated himself for saying this, seeing their faces, but he pressed on. "There's no help out there, maybe no one even left alive but us."

He paused, blowing out another breath heavily. "But... I'm not quite ready to die just yet. What about you?"

As one, they shook their heads. They were still with him.

"Then let's keep going."

They had their reasons for going on. Love of another. Fear of death. An overwhelming sense of duty. A measure of responsibility. Sure they were tired, each felt as if they carried the weight of the world on their shoulders sometimes. But they weren't ready to give up yet. And that meant they continued on. Following wherever Takashi Komuro (and Fate) led them.

Eight survivors from different walks of life now stepped onto the same path, journeying together into the city, and back to Japan. Back into the world of the dead.

* * *

The first question had been one of direction. North into the city, or south to the oceans again. There were other ships, after all, many with working sails. Possibly with working motors, with a little MacGyver worthy jury-rigging. But in the end, Takashi put his foot down, said no. They'd tried living out at sea, most of them were stir-crazy living in such cramped quarters. To compound their troubles, they still hadn't caught any fish. And fresh water supplies were running low. They couldn't live out there indefinitely. So they needed to find somewhere else.

Where? None knew. But wherever it was, it seemed it was some further inland.

They took a wide route around the city, but inevitably the geography forced them to enter its outskirts. They treaded softly, hands on weapons, ready for signs of trouble. Or worse, signs of Them. But the city seemed to be deserted. Worst for them, however, was the winds. They had picked up considerably since this morning, howling across the landscape. The city buildings echoed and magnified or reflected the noise, making it seem to come from all directions, or none at all. It was ominous, really.

And it was dangerous. It made it harder to hear each other, and it conjured up all sorts of unpleasant images of Them shambling along, driven by the noise towards their relatively silent group.

Several hours of travel later, everyone was tired. And since they'd started out tired, now they were worn to the bone. Some of them were starting to stumble every so often. Saya, leaning against Kohta for support, still sick from whatever she'd caught at Kumejima, gave him a none-too-gentle poke in the side to get his attention and whispered something into his ear. He, in turn, called out to Takashi as loudly as he dared.

"We need to find shelter! Somewhere to take a break and rest for a few minutes!"

Takashi cupped a hand to his head, shielding his eyes from the wind so he could get a proper look around. They'd wandered out of the main city and down one of the longer stretches of road, finding themselves in a more suburban area. Housing districts were too far distant, but much closer than the majority of high-rise towers and hotels back the way they'd came. Then, as if answering his silent prayers, something else was spotted.

He stabbed a finger in the direction of possible salvation. "There! That'll do!"

Matsukai First Elementary School, the sign read.

Saya cast him a glance, as if to say 'are you stupid?' but didn't really protest as they made their way to the front doors, keeping sharp watch for any signs of walking corpses. Thankfully, the place seemed to be deserted. And even unlocked, so they slipped inside and out of the wind without making a peep. Not a soul in sight, living or dead, not even bodies. There wasn't even a single bloodstain on the floor. Other than a thin layer of dust and obvious neglect, it might've been ready to re-open for education tomorrow morning.

Compared to the howling winds outside, inside, it was almost quiet as a tomb. A shiver crept up Takashi's spine, but he stubbornly ignored it.

"What happened here?" breathed Rei, confused. She'd been half expecting the carnage and destruction that Fujimi High had experienced during Z day.

"They must've been able to evacuate before everything went bad," remarked Kohta, using one arm to support Saya and the other to push open a classroom door. A cursory glance inside revealed nobody within, and so he helped her to sit down at the teacher's desk. The rest of them filed in quietly, taking various seats. Shizuka, unfortunately, came in last and by the time she'd arrived most everyone else had claimed one of the better ones. This left her trying to sit down on a seat that was likely intended for a kindergarten student, as it barely rose a foot off the ground. To say the long-legged nurse on such a short stool looked completely silly was kind-hearted at best.

Takashi glanced out the window, but the sun was still obscured by the cloud cover. So he looked to his next most reliable source of time-keeping. "Saya, about what time is it?"

The pink-haired genius glanced up from where she'd been re-applying the bandage on her ankle. The fresh bandage was definitely helping alleviate some of the pain. She glanced up at the clock on the wall out of instinct, but belatedly realized it had probably been saying six o'clock for days now.

Oh well, at least it was right twice a day.

"I'd say... maybe two in the afternoon? Maybe two thirty?" she replied, after giving it a moment's thought.

"How long does everyone need?" he asked, turning to the others. His own legs felt like jelly, but he stubbornly refused to acknowledge it. He could keep going, if he had to. They were depending on him to be strong for them.

"Just a couple of minutes," said Rei, leaning back against one of the walls and sinking down to a seated position on the floor. Alice and Zeke quickly joined her, the latter drooping its head in Rei's lap.

Takashi glanced over at Saeko, deliberately skipping Kohta, knowing full well he wouldn't protest even if his legs were both broken. "You?"

Saeko shook her head. "I have no need of rest, though I would welcome it," she said.

"What about you, Saya?" he asked.

The Takagi heiress considered. She didn't feel like moving at all, her injured ankle felt like it was on fire and she could scarcely breathe, but they couldn't spend the night here. It was waaay too vulnerable.

"Give me an hour, I'll be ready," she replied in a strained tone.

Kohta nodded. "We'll be ready to go at 1600 hours."

Saya rolled her eyes, muttered a 'baka' under her breath as she lightly hit Kohta's shoulder. Then coughed again.

"I'll get some water," said Rei as she grimaced, standing and making her way to the door. "Alice-chan, why don't you come with me?"

Shizuka immediately stood and went to follow. "I'll help too," she said, having a rough idea of where to start looking. She'd done a stint as a school nurse for an Elementary School before she'd transferred to Fujimi High, she knew the general layout. But Rei gently declined, shaking her head.

"Get some rest, Shizuka-sensei," was all she said, meaning well. But to the blonde's ears, it sounded like a dismissal. The sort of thing you told the elderly and the disabled because you didn't want to hurt their feelings and you didn't want them in the way. With an indignant huff that no one seemed to notice, she sat back down in her chair and pouted as the two girls slipped out of the classroom.

"I'll check the immediate vicinity... make certain we are safe here for at least a little while," said Saeko, rising unsteadily to her feet.

Takashi started to rise, but the swordswoman put a hand on his shoulder and gently, but firmly, pushed him back into his seat.

"You require rest as well," she said softly. "Take a moment to do so."

He scowled darkly up at her, about to protest that he didn't need to be babied, and that as leader, he should be setting a good example for the others. But she glared down at him and he felt his argument die before it even made it to his lips.

"Alright," he sighed, sinking back into his seat. He _was_ very tired, after all.

Saeko nodded to Kohta, then tilted her head to the hallway silently. He quickly joined her on a patrol of the immediate vicinity, leaving the others to rest in the kindergarten classroom. Takashi almost passed out when he finally relaxed in his seat. He was so tired he didn't even notice the telltale rising of hair on the back of his neck.

Nor did he notice the feeling of being watched.

* * *

_Movement. Sounds. Voices. Voices? _They_ didn't talk._

_Keep quiet. Stay hidden. Like hide and seek. Stay out of sight, stay quiet as a mouse. Eventually they'll move on._

_Grumble._

_Hopefully soon. Stomach empty. Slept too long, haven't eaten in a while._

_Voices again. Voices again?_

_Closer. Just a little closer. Stay hidden. Stay quiet._

_Shhhhh._

_Definitely voices again. Saying something. Familiar._

_Watch. Wait._

* * *

After Saeko and Kohta had done a quick sweep of the surrounding rooms, the latter had escorted little Alice and Zeke to the little girls room while Saeko went on ahead to the cafeteria. They joined her there afterwards to search for food.

Glancing back at little Alice, safely at the other end of the room, Kohta tapped in the keys at the vending machine, which was still fully stocked. Of course, after the EMP, it didn't still work. He didn't even get an error message, though he looked surprised, as if he did. "Oh my, I don't have exact change," he said with exaggerated cheerfulness, rearing back his rifle. "Whatever am I to do?"

The butt of his weapon smashed into the glass, shattering it instantly. Candy, chips, cookies and various other goodies of a decidedly unhealthy nature scattered all over the floor.

Saeko was at the door seconds later, but he held up his hands.

"It's okay!"

She lowered her hand from her still sheathed katana, noting the mess on the floor. Without a word she strode over to the scattered goodies and swung her blade free of its sheath, slashing a wide downward arc through the lock on the side of the adjacent soda machine. It swung open like a door, its contents intact. Grabbing a pair of bottled waters, Saeko dipped her head politely to the gun man as he munched happily on some brand name chips.

"Mmm. Delicious."

Alice nodded in agreement as she picked up a pack of fruity candy and began to devour its contents.

After weeks with nothing but canned food, beans and soup and spaghetti, Kohta was in heaven with just a bag of chips and some warm soda. He happily munched down on it, never noting the movement coming from the nearby corner, as something dark and shadowy slipped out of view behind an overturned table and vanished into an open vent.

* * *

_Still haven't left. Why still here?_

_Big one munching on food. Vending machine. Didn't have money. Broke it._

_Not important. Didn't find secret stash. Has to stay secret._

_Protect. Hide._

_Travelling now, moving hidden and unseen. Check on the others. Maybe they've left?_

_Snores. Sleeping. They're sleeping. Could go now._

_No. Dangerous. Stay put. Stay hidden. Stay quiet._

_Shhhhh._

_Big scary one is waking._

* * *

He didn't nap, though he tried to. In the end, Takashi's mind was too active, even as his body screamed for the chance to sleep. He had too much to think about, too much to plan. Scenario after scenario ran through his mind, but he kept rejecting every one for one reason or another. Most prevalent was the lack of knowledge. He wasn't going to lead them blindly into another death trap.

Angrily he sat back up in his seat, slapping at his face, hoping the momentary pain would help him wake up. No dice. All it did was make him irritable, and he was already fairly irritable. No, forget that, he was quickly moving into the downright annoyed category. Problem was, when you're annoyed with the world, it could be difficult to find a solution to your problem.

"Takashi?"

He glanced up through eyes dark from lack of rest to see Rei there, holding out a bottled water. He took it without a word, gulping down its room-temperature contents. It tasted almost salty, and he felt it slide down his throat like a serpent, but it helped a little.

"Thanks," he said after he finished a big gulp, holding the half-empty bottle in his hand as he leaned back in his chair. Oh, if only he could just fall asleep and never wake up.

Rei shattered that particular illusion by chiming in with a gentle inquiry of "What're we going to do now?"

And just like that his headache was back.

"I don't know," he replied with a sigh, running a hand through his black locks. He really needed a haircut, come to think of it. He brushed that thought aside and focused on the decisions he'd made in the last few hours. "We'll try to find a vehicle then head out into the country. The less people who lived in an area, the less of Them will be around. After that... not sure."

"Should we maybe try to find another survivor community?" she asked. "Or maybe start one of our own?"

He grimaced, feeling his temples throb. He thought he'd made this clear when they'd left behind the Mimei, but obviously it needed repeating. However, since it was Rei, well... he didn't want to sugar-coat but he could at least phrase it nicely.

"Rei... there probably isn't anyone left alive but us anymore. At this point we'll probably have to start out own anyway."

Pink pigtails bobbed up. Saya hadn't been able to nap either, but she'd been on the verge of sleep for the past hour while trying to be. She'd been listening with only half an ear to the conversation but now she had an opinion to share.

"You're probably wrong you know," she stated quietly.

He quirked an eyebrow at that. "About what?"

"We can't be the only ones left. It's statistically impossible," Saya explained.

Normally he knew better than to go into an argument with Saya on only half a night's sleep, but right now he didn't see any real loss, and so he pressed on with his own side of the discussion. "But we haven't seen anyone in ages. Everyone was dead in Kumejima, and before that, the last people we saw alive and breathing were Dr. Cheisu and Hikke. And now they're gone too."

She shook her head wearily, pausing as another cough wracked her body. "It doesn't add up," she said. "We've survived, and none of us are trained soldiers, martial artists or commando mercenaries. We're high school students for crying out loud."

"She's right," Rei reluctantly added, clearly not wishing to contradict Takashi but unable to dispute Saya's logic. "Even if only one in a thousand people had the right circumstances, training, and luck... that's still a lot of people in the world left out there. Seven million, at least. Just like us."

"And what if those people are on the other side of the world? Or, in a remote region like Australia or England? They're no good to us."

"I'm willing to bet there's people still alive right here in Japan," said Saya. "We're an island, that means when the trouble started, we were fairly isolated. We're not going to be getting any more of Them coming in, they can't swim out this far. So I'd give a conservative estimate, based on what we've seen, that the population is probably about five percent of what it was when the outbreak started. Ten at most."

She folded her arms. "And that's a problem."

Takashi blinked. "Problem? You just said..."

"I said they were still alive, baka. I never said they'd be friendly. In fact, if you've survived this long it's a testimony to your skill, determination, and teamwork. And in all likelihood, ruthlessness. Every one of them will have probably killed one of Them by now. And maybe some living people as well."

_Just like us_, Takashi realized, hearing her unsaid statement. By now, almost everyone in the group except for little Alice had killed a half-dozen undead, and most of them had also taken down a living foe at least once during their trip. Saeko had killed Doctor Hikke in cold blood, Shizuka and Kohta mercy killed Cheisu and Asami, respectively. Takashi hadn't been able to take down Hisashi before he'd turned, but he'd come dangerously close, and it had still been killing someone he'd been close to. Likewise, Rei had been forced to end her father's existence for similar reasons.

Saya nodded as she saw how Takashi's thought process was going. "If they made it this long, they'll be very, very dangerous. Way more than Them. The dead will be easy, it's the living we need to worry about now."

Takashi frowned faintly, turning back to get Shizuka's opinion. Somewhat air-headed and innocent as she was, she proved surprisingly insightful on myriad topics when least expected. However, his inquiry died on his lips as he found her fast asleep, sprawled over the small desks awkwardly. Her skirt rode up dangerously high on her leg, giving a glimpse of her panties. Takashi smothered a cough, gently shifting over in his seat and tugging at her skirt to help cover her up a bit.

"Look-"

"No you look, fearless leader!" Saya started to launch into a tirade, but almost immediately cut herself off, coughing into her hand. Taking a moment to clear her throat, she started up again, at a slightly lower volume. "This depressed routine isn't going to cut it with us. Man up and face the fact that you _are_ a good leader. You've kept us together and you've kept us alive. Yes, Kumejima didn't work out, and that sucks, but it's not..." she trailed off, eyes widening at the implications.

He smirked, almost finding it funny. "Not the end of the world?" he asked rhetorically, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

She was about to reply with a scathing comment, when suddenly there was a rustling sound. Pausing, she glanced up at the ceiling. It had been brief, but she was almost positive she'd heard something.

"What was that?"

"What?"

"You didn't hear that?" she asked, swiveling on the edge of her seat, straining her ears to try and hear it again. Rei and Takashi followed suit.

There was an audible bang then. Not the loud, explosive noise caused by a gunshot, something much closer and more muted. Like something hard banging against a metal plate. A thin one.

Their eyes instantly riveted to the ceiling, where a ventilation system was positioned over their heads. The bangs and dings came from above, and then suddenly shifted. Whatever it was inside the vents, it was _moving_.

"Uweh?" Shizuka sat up, drooling from the corner of her mouth, evidently still shaking off dreams.

Ignoring her for the moment, Takashi raised his club. "The hell is that? Squirrel?"

"Raccoon maybe?" asked Rei.

"Way too big," Saya replied, adjusting her glasses and peering through them, trying to see around the dirt and grime that had accumulated over the course of the day. Normally she'd take a moment to clean them, but there wasn't time. "You don't think... it's one of... _Them_... do you?"

Takashi considered that. The ventilation above was barely big enough for someone like Rei to wriggle through, so it was unlikely. But not completely impossible. This seemed like something else though. Suddenly Kohta was there, sliding the door open. It would have slammed if it wasn't Japanese-style sliding type. "What's going on?" he asked, gun upraised in his arms.

Saya didn't say a word, just pointed up at the ventilation ducts.

More shuffling above, and a muffled bang as something hard hit the side of the metal tunnel hanging above them. They caught a glimpse of movement through one of the grates. Something dark skittered from one end to the other. Kohta quickly primed his rifle, even as Saeko joined them, reading their stances and the situation with a glance. She kept her back to the room and her gaze on the hallway, in case there were more of... whatever _they_ were.

Kohta took aim with his AR-10, trying to carefully gauge where the sound was coming from, but holding back from firing. If it was just some lost animal, he didn't want to waste the ammo. Unless it was rabid, of course. But after a few tense seconds, the bumping and dinging stopped. Silence descended over them, tense with anticipation.

Saya leaned back against the desk, trying to get a better view of the ventilation ducts, and accidently brushed her hand against a box of crayons that had been lying haphazardously on the edge of the surface. Gravity took effect in an instant, causing them to fall to the ground and scattered in myriad colored wax all over the floor. In that one split second, it drew the attention of the entire group, diverting their view away from the potential threat.

Then, in that instant, _it_ struck.

The grating all but exploded outward, and something dark sprang forth, heading right for Saya.

It impacted hard against her chest, as she'd been almost directly under the grate, and in her weakened state Saya went tumbling down over the back of the desk, kicking and screaming the whole way. Kohta moved in quickly, gun upraised, but he didn't dare fire a shot without a clear target, or he'd risk hitting Saya.

"Get back!" shouted Takashi, pushing his way forward, iron club upraised. He too held back a moment, unwilling to hurt his friend, but changed tactics a moment later and swung out with a foot at the dark shifting _thing_ that was latched on to Saya. He hit something solid, but it moved too quick, grabbing at his legs, and he saw something white flash in the dim lighting of the room. Eyes and teeth, both of which belonged on a face, and both of which were going for his leg.

Alice came skidding into the room, ducking under Saeko's arm before the older girl could stop her, and took in the scene in an instant, eyes wide with horror as Kohta grabbed whatever was attacking her other big brother by the neck and flung it away from the group, where it scampered over some short desks. He quickly took aim.

"No!"

The seven-year-old flung herself at Kohta, her tiny body impacting against his arms and causing his shot to go wide, a boom echoing from his AR-10 as the bullet impacted in the ceiling instead of his desired target, letting plaster rain down atop of them. It also caused the dark shape to abruptly change directions, running away from the loud bang and crashing hard into an overturned chair. It slid under a nearby desk and hid in the shadows.

"Don't shoot him!" shouted Alice, with a surprisingly loud voice for such a tiny little pair of lungs. "He's just scared!"

_He?_ thought Takashi. _Not it_?

Cautiously, one hand gripping his iron club in a vice-like grip, Takashi made his way closer to the desk, grabbing the far end without exposing any part of his body to the open part. Saeko took up a position on the other side, hand mirroring his. Then, very, very slowly, the two of them pulled up the desk to reveal what was hiding underneath.

It _was_ a him.

A little boy, to be precise, not much bigger than Alice. In the dim lighting, he almost looked like one of Them. Like the walking dead, the boy was pale of skin and he was near perfectly silent, but there the similarities ended. Those that died from the infection had their eyes roll up and into their heads, this boy's gaze darted back and forth, looking for exits, looking for escape routes, and never, ever straying too far from Kohta and his gun. And although it was difficult to tell with his grimy clothes and long, greasy black hair, he didn't seem to be injured anywhere. Every one of Them had at least one injury... the bite that had led to their re-animation.

"We're not here to hurt you," said Takashi, shifting his body to partially hide his weapon behind his body. Trusting Saeko to continue holding up the desk, he held out his hand. "What's your name, kid?"

The little boy continued to watch him surprisingly bright, green eyes, but made no reply.

"It's okay. We're really not going to hurt you," he tried again. "We're just passing through."

Again, the child made no reply, only watched with the fearful gaze of a trapped animal. He shied away from the offered hand.

"Perhaps he doesn't speak Japanese?" suggested Rei.

Takashi considered that. It wasn't completely beyond the realm of possibility, most Elementary Schools tended to have a few foreign students who were bilingual or spoke a language other than Japanese. Usually English or Chinese. Unfortunately, he didn't have much command over either, he'd never taken many foreign language classes, and so he glanced uncertainly back at the others.

"Anyone here speak English?"

Kohta, somewhat familiar with English thanks to his trip to America, repeated their intentions in that language.

Still the boy made no reply. Saya, with some difficulty, managed a standard hello in Chinese, but again, the result was negative.

However, he didn't seem to be running away anymore, and even better, looked less inclined to attack them again. Takashi kneeled down and set his club aside so he wouldn't seem as threatening. "Do you understand us?" he tried again in Japanese.

To this, the boy made a single curt nod.

_Okay, some progress_, he thought. Not exactly what he'd been hoping for but it was a start.

"Why isn't he talking?" asked a puzzled Kohta.

Alice stepped forward. "I'm Alice Maresato," she said, introducing herself formally. "What's your name?"

The little boy opened his mouth, but only for a fraction of an instant before he closed it again, still without saying a thing.

"Maybe he's... hurt?" suggested Takashi, trying to peer closer at the boy without actually moving any closer. He checked his neck, maybe he had been injured in the throat or the like. But he couldn't see anything.

"Could be trauma," said Saya. "Like... mental trauma even."

"How old are you?" asked Alice, ignoring their speculations.

The boy held up eight fingers, four on each hand. He seemed perfectly able to understand them, just wasn't able to speak. He shied away when Shizuka tried to examine him as well, so they couldn't tell what the cause was. If it was physical, psychological, or something else entirely.

Takashi tried another tactic. "Are you here all alone?"

The boy paused for that question, seeming to think on it, then shook his head and stood up. He made his way over to the window, having to stand on his tiptoes to reach it, and pointed out, his grimy finger brushing against the glass.

Following his gaze, the other survivors gathered around. Past the glass, outside in the howling winds, was a fenced off playground with some older recreational equipment: a see-saw, a ladder and slide, a monkey bar, and others. Normally a place of innocence and child-like fun, now only darkened and ruined. Worse still were the children still there. Unlike the pale boy within the school, those outside were grayed and damaged, one crawling along with no leg below the knee, another covered in blood. Crude, walking parodies of the living. Thankfully, the weather was masking the sounds of those within the building, so they were safe for the moment. But how long that would last remained to be seen.

"We need to leave soon," said Takashi in no uncertain terms, having zero desire to try and navigate around undead children in the dark. He turned back to the others. "We'll slip out the back of the school, that'll probably be a clearer route to take." Now that the adrenaline was pumping, he realized their brief respite had restored a bit of his energy. That's good, because they'd need it.

As the others gathered around to confer, the blonde nurse turned her attention to the young boy, who was still watching them all warily. She kneeled down as low as she could, trying not to intimidate with her greater height, but the boy still watched her warily, as if expecting her to attack at any minute. He really was quite filthy, and as a nurse, not to mention a woman, Shizuka abhorred dirtiness.

"Give me that please," she commanded gently, interrupting the groups planning to point at their leaders water bottle, resting on a nearby table. Takashi handed over his half-finished water numbly, and Shizuka took a clean strip of cloth, applied the water to it, and begin to gently clean the grit and grime from the little boy's face.

He struggled at first, but she gently took hold of his head and tilted it just so, rubbing the cloth against his grimy cheeks and chin, smoothing away the worst of it. After a few moments she started to reveal a pretty little boy underneath all the layers of filth. Sure he was a little disheveled from whatever ordeals he'd been through, but he hadn't gone completely feral yet. He just needed a little nurturing to blossom, like any child. Shizuka beamed brightly down at him, and he returned the gesture with a shy, hesitant smile of his own.

* * *

_People. Living, breathing people. Talking people._

_Talking a lot. So many questions. Some of them didn't make sense. Others were easy. He helped. Mom always told him to help when he could._

_But Mom also warned him about strangers. And these people were very strange._

_And scary._

_Pink-hair kept glaring at him, she was angry. So was the boy next to her, the one with the big gun. Tall boy with the club, with the scary face. The pretty girl with the spear. And then the dark-haired one in the back. She was too quiet, watching, seeing too much. She moved like a hunter. Made him want to go hide again._

_But the blonde woman wouldn't let him go, she stopped him from hiding, and cleaned his face. He liked her. She reminded him of Mom. She was kind like Mom, and she sort of smelled the same too._

_She took him into her arms. Instincts flared. Run. Escape. Get away. But she held firm, and after a moment of panic, he relaxed._

_Hide. Hide here._

_Safe._

* * *

Shizuka smiled softly as the little boy seemed to bury himself in her ample cleavage, almost as if he was trying to hide himself there. The poor thing. Whatever trauma he'd gone through she couldn't imagine, and quite frankly, she didn't want to imagine. But right now, it was over.

"We have to take him with us," someone said.

Everyone turned back in confusion, looking at Shizuka. At first she was puzzled, but then she realized she'd been the one to say it. She hadn't even given it any thought. But, the idea of letting the boy remain behind was simply abhorrent.

Takashi's mouth opened to protest. He might slow them down. He might be dangerous. He might be infected, they'd at least have to check him out before letting him join the group. But before he could voice a single protest, Alice had wrapped her arm around the boy and was holding onto him firmly. "Yes, we should bring him with us, big brother!"

Any arguments he might've had died immediately, he might've been able to say no to Shizuka, but he couldn't deny both of them. And part of him really did want to save the little boy from this place.

"Alright," he said wearily. "Shizuka-sensei, please check him for injuries if you could? And Saeko, can you make sure the path to the back is clear? I really don't want to have any more nasty surprises on the way out."

The swordswoman nodded.

"I'll go with her," added Rei. "Watch her back."

"Get back here soon as you can," he said. The two girls nodded, then slipped out quietly. Takashi turned to the rest of the group, making sure Saya and Kohta were ready to go. The pink-haired genius didn't look particularly healthy, but she seemed determined. And when Saya Takagi was determined, no illness was going to stop her. Hell, no force in Heaven or Earth could get in her way. She could stand on sheer determination alone, nevermind her legs felt like jelly.

Although just in case, Kohta was keeping close to help support her.

Shizuka gently pried the boy away from her after she'd finished a cursory check for wounds and addressed him, holding his shoulders. "Little one? We're leaving now. We're going to go somewhere... somewhere safe, okay? Not here."

The little boy nodded, gently slipping his arm out of the grip both Shizuka and Alice had on him, and made his way over to the corner of the room, near the teachers desk. There, he found a blue backpack with a red symbol on the back. As quickly as he could, he grabbed up the crayons Saya had carelessly scattered on the ground, shoving them into the open container. Alice quickly joined him.

"Lemme help," she said.

He hesitated, still wary and very protective of what he considered his, but ultimately let her. The two worked as a good team, her picking up the lengths of colored wax, him holding open the backpack so she could just toss them in. Within seconds, they were done, he'd zipped up the container and slung it over his shoulders. It jostled with some other contents, but what they were, they would have to find out another time it seemed.

Takashi led the way, making sure to walk slowly and keep his ears and eyes open. Shizuka, Alice, and the little boy followed behind him, with Saya and Kohta bringing up the rear. Zeke trailed after them.

Thankfully, the route through the school was clear, apart from the kids in the playground outside, it seemed the whole thing was deserted. The parking lot was nearly completely empty, save for a few school buses. Saeko and Rei were waiting by the exit.

"Any chance we can take one of those?" asked Takashi, indicating the remaining vehicles.

"Probably got knocked out by the EMP," replied Rei.

"And even if they didn't, the keys may not be there," added Shizuka.

Takashi pondered that. "Give them a look anyway. It'll cut hours off of our travel and it'll make a good place to set up for the night in a pinch. Kohta, can you... climb up on top of that one in the middle? Keep a lookout."

The one-eyed geek saluted and made his way to the middle bus. After some difficulty he managed to climb onto the hood, and then up on top of the roof. After a quick scan of the region, he gave a thumbs up. Presumably, it meant they were fine, but one of these days, they'd have to sit down and make a list of silent signals and what they meant. As it was now, only Kohta knew any from watching too many war movies and playing too many shooter games.

And a code is worthless if only the person sending knows it.

However, not wanting to get into that now, Takashi took the thumbs up to mean they were safe. "Okay, everyone pick a bus, try and get it started. Be _very_ careful. No telling if someone's inside."

Everyone nodded, and Shizuka and the children hung back as Saeko, Rei, and Saya each picked a bus and tried its engines. The first didn't have any keys, the second's engine was out. The third spluttered for a few minutes, whining in protest, then died in spectacular fashion. Reluctantly, they all clambered out of the vehicles to meet up in the parking lot.

"Figures," muttered Takashi. "Alright, we'll keep going on foot."

"We should try to find shelter before it gets dark," added Kohta.

Their leader nodded. "If anyone sees anything suitable, let me know. We all ready to go?"

"Wait a minute, we're forgetting something important," said Alice. Everyone turned back to her, immediately running through their mind possibilities. Weapons? Check. Food? Check. Headcount was nine, one more than when they'd arrived, so everyone was accounted for. What could they have possibly forgotten.

Alice, however, turned instead to the little boy, still clinging to Shizuka's hand like it was a lifeline. "We never got your name," she said. "It's not nice to just say 'hey you' all the time. It's very rude. So what's your name?"

Again the little boy's mouth opened for a fraction of a moment, then closed. Frowning, he tried again, but it was as if he did not understand he could not speak.

"Do we have to guess?" asked Shizuka. She tapped a finger against her dainty chin in deep thought. "Is it... Daisuke? Kenta? Ryu?"

The boy shook his head, frustrated, looking around... then stopped as he caught sight of something. He made his way past the parking lot to the edge of a grassy field. Where asphalt met dirt, he moved to find a clear patch in the lawn where only dirt was showing. He grabbed up a nearby stick and thrust the tip into the dirt, tracing out the requisite symbol. A few lines later, he had scribbled in hiragana a simple name.

"Sai-to?" Alice guessed, looking at him for confirmation. "Saito?"

The boy, now known as Saito, beamed a surprising bright smile and nodded vigorously. No words needed to be said.

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**In my mind's eye, the symbol on Saito's backpack is the Autobot logo, but feel free to imagine it however you like. Those who read the previous chapter eight (the one now deleted) may recognize Saito. Prepare to have his past explored much more in-depth now that he's joined the main cast.


	9. 08 Active Decay

**_VIII – Active Decay_**

"_Our greatest pretense are built up not to hide_  
_the evil and ugliness in us, but our emptiness.  
__The hardest thing to hide is something that is  
__not there_."

- **Eric Hoffer**.

* * *

**Edge of Matsukai City, Japan  
****1710 hours,  
****Z Day + 32**

Another hour or two had passed during their long walk, though Takashi had long since given up trying to figure out what time it was. When the group was tired they rested, when they were hungry they ate. They had to find shelter before it got too dark so they could sleep. It was like they were reverting back to the most primitive instincts of mankind, before they'd climbed down from the trees.

If this was how things were, it was no wonder that little Saito had gone so wild living all alone in that school. How much longer before they started to go feral as well?

Idly Takashi glanced back at the rest of the group as the skies started to darken. The brief respite at the elementary school seemed to have restored some of their energy but their spirits were still remarkably dampened. They shuffled along like the walking dead already, putting one foot in front of the other with little care for where they were going. Saya in particular, he saw, was having difficulty keeping her balance, and more often than not, Kohta had to be at her side, supporting her. In fact, he was neglecting his job of guarding the rear because of his concern for her. It was touching but it was also dangerous. So Takashi asked Saeko to fall back and do that, moving Saya and Kohta to the middle with Shizuka so the three of them would be safest if there was danger.

In fact, the only person in the group who still seemed to be in good spirits was Alice. Since they were in a remote, suburban region and visibility was fairly good on the stretch of road they were travelling, they were allowing her to speak in a fairly normal tone of voice. Without a need for whispering. So she'd taken it upon herself to skip along instead of just walk, and was playing a game with Saito.

"Sae-ko!"

Saito pointed at the Busujima swordswoman, who quirked an eyebrow at her name being mentioned. Apparently, Alice was teaching him their names, so he could identify them.

"Correct! Say-ah!"

Incorrectly, Saito indicated Rei after a moment's thought.

"Bzzt! Saya is there, with big brother Kohta. She's a genius. Shi-zu-ka!"

Again, the boy pointed, effortlessly finding the blonde nurse and only adult in their little group. She and Alice were the easiest for him to find.

"Correct! Ta-ka-shi!"

Saito pointed, and Alice giggled.

"Saito-kun, that's not Takashi, silly. That's Zeke!"

Inwardly groaning, both leader and canine shared a moment of near-perfect discontentment, being confused for one another. They gave an eerily synchronized sigh.

He was shaken out of his stupor when Rei shifted up beside him and nudged his side. Catching his attention she pointed a finger. There, up ahead, a building, just past a rise in the hill. A fairly remote building too, they hadn't seen much on this stretch of road for a long time now.

"Worth a look," he said, testing his grip on his club.

Approaching closer, they found it was a gas station, ideally positioned on the side of the road for travellers. One of the modern, larger ones, which doubled as a convenience store of sorts for those hoping to pick up a snack during their travels. The place was in shambles, however, and heavily damaged by what must've been a raid. There were tire streaks all over the ground.

A large man with dark skin stumbled out of the shadows of the building, wearing a mechanics suit. Takashi instantly froze, holding up his hand to stop the others. As the figure drew closer, they could see despite his skin tone, he was pale and grayed, and his eyes had rolled back into his head. The mark of blood on his ankle confirmed what the group already suspected.

Ever since Kumejima, a nameless rage had been building inside of Takashi, fueled by his frustrations to provide for his new family. To find them a safe home. They were exhausted, injured, sick, and coming apart at the edges. And he couldn't protect them. He was failing them as a leader. Seeking a target, his gaze locked on the single undead monster stumbling out from the gas station.

Right now, that single zombie represented all of his frustration and anger.

Takashi raised up his club and charged forward, giving a wordless cry of rage. His weapon swung up and then came down with all of his fury, striking like a thunderbolt, almost hard enough to shatter the bigger man to pieces.

A second blow smashed the skull to tiny fragments, Takashi didn't want to run the risk he'd only grazed the monster. He wanted to make sure it was destroyed. Completely and utterly.

Saeko watched, concerned for her leader and his mental state. The stress and exhaustion was placing a terrible toll on him. Everyone could see it. And yet he refused to surrender his role as leader, even for a moment. Ordinarily, she might consider it noble. But right now she was worried.

Deep within herself, however, Shinigami also watched the display. But not with fear or concern, but lust. And not bloodlust either.

_Mmm, you really should try to find a hotel room soon, Saeko-chan. I wanna see that sort of passion between some bed sheets._

Saeko breathed out slowly, calming herself and, in effect, calming her other self. Long practice had enabled her near perfect control over her dark impulses, strong though they were.

Breathing heavily, Takashi Komuro deliberately calmed himself in a similar fashion.

"Well that, was therapeutic. Sorry..." he glanced down at the man's uniform, noting a patch with his name on his chest. "... Gregory. Nothing personal you understand."

Rei made her way over to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We'll check inside," she said. "Saeko and me."

He nodded, grateful. "Be careful. There could be more of them."

She nodded, and the two girls slipped into the store, wincing at the jingle of the bell above the doorway. A sound that would draw every undead monster within hearing radius right to them. But thankfully, nothing answered the sound, and after a quick check of the aisles, behind the counter, and the restrooms, they found it was completely empty of any other inhabitants. Living, dead, or otherwise. Gregory had been all alone.

"It's safe," said Rei, beckoning the others in. "It's a bit messy though."

"I think we'll live," muttered Takashi as he slipped inside. Then, realizing how harsh he sounded, gave Rei an apologetic look. "Sorry, I'm..."

"It's fine," she replied, a little too quickly. "Let's just get some sleep."

"We should set a watch," said Kohta, helping Saya through the doors then doing a quick sweep of the aisles himself. Satisfied they were alone, he set up comfortably at the front counter, setting his AR-10 on the countertop, along with his combat knife. Then, he shrugged off his flak vest, feeling at least ten pounds lighter as he stretched out his sore muscles. "I'll take first shift," he said.

"I have the second," replied Saeko, already sitting down against the flat side of a magazine display and resting her sword across her legs like a medieval samurai.

"Thi-" Cough. "Third," said Saya, after clearing her throat. She grabbed a nearby box of tissues, ripping off the plastic covering and took them out, using one to clear her nose, and a second to clean her glasses. Unfortunately, she just kept smearing the smudges around, and every time she checked her vision, it was worse than before.

Frustrated, she kicked an overturned box of cereal, sending it skidding across the floor, and startling Saito, who nearly bolted had Alice not held onto him tightly. Sighing mightily, the genius slipped into the bathroom to clean her glasses and relieve herself. When she re-emerged, Shizuka was standing there waiting for her.

"Here, take these," said Shizuka, offering a bottle of warm water and some pills to Saya. The self-proclaimed genius took the water, glancing at the packet of medicine in Shizuka's other hand. Cough medicine. The sort they warned kids about in school because of its low percentage of alcohol content. Rolling her eyes, she tossed back the pills and took a swig of the bottle.

Everyone began to bunker down for the night. None were too worried about being attacked in such a remote place. And even if they hadn't set a watch, there was the bell above the door that would alert them if anyone came in. This was as safe a place as they could find for the time being. And within another's day travel, they'd be out of the city and in the countryside.

_Yeah_, thought Takashi. _Out of the frying pan, into the fire_.

As his thoughts turned down dark alleys of his mind, he reflected that it sometimes it seemed less a matter of _if_ they would die and more of a _how_. Death by reanimated corpses. Death by living marauders. Death by starvation. Death by freezing. Death by burning. Death by drowning. Death by radiation poisoning. And his personal favorite, death by madness. The way they were going it was only a matter of time before one of them completely snapped.

Shaking off such dark thoughts, Takashi crawled down into the aisle where Rei had set up for the night.

"Not exactly the ritz," murmured Rei as he lay down beside her, not exactly complaining. She was grateful for the chance to rest properly.

"This'll just have to do," muttered Takashi. "Sorry it's not a three-star."

"I'd settle for half a star at this point," sighed Rei, propping up her naginata within easy reach and laying on her back.

She had already curled up on the ground, using a roll of paper towels as a makeshift pillow. Takashi shrugged off his coat, draping it over her shoulders like a blanket to help stave off some of the cold. It was going to be an unpleasant night.

Lying on the cold, hard linoleum, Takashi did his best to fall asleep. It wasn't a fancy hotel room, or even his own lumpy bed at home, but right now, his body was so tired he imagined he could've fallen asleep on a lake of fire.

He was out cold in mere minutes.

* * *

The following morning, the faint smell of smoke reached the nostrils of one deeply sleeping Takashi Komuro, tickling at the back of his subconscious mind. Danger, they said. Smoke = fire. He sat up instantly, his brain firing off impulses before higher reasoning kicked in. Immediately he winced, clutching at his neck. He'd slept on it poorly, evidently, and his body was paying him back. Grimacing, he climbed to his feet, lifting his head over the aisle to peer outside.

Past the dirty glass he caught sight of Kohta and Shizuka already up, the former preparing a makeshift fire with some kindling he'd acquired. He was cooking their canned soup for breakfast, it seemed. Shizuka was helping. Takashi was evidently one of the last up, as he glanced back, he saw Rei and Saeko already emerging from the ladies room, and Saya hunkered down behind the counter, shivering miserably and reading a fashion magazine. Scowling the whole time.

Only Alice and Saito hadn't risen yet. Little Zeke was awake, but had deigned to remain with them for the time being as their guard dog. Takashi gently patted their little guardian on the head.

"Good boy," he said.

_Certainly made a better guard than I did_, he mused as he did his morning ritual and splashed some water on his face in the restroom. "I think I overslept my shift too," he muttered. That or no one bothered to wake him for it.

He joined the others outside, his morning already gloomy.

"Morning leader," intoned Kohta, setting a can of soup aside for him.

He sat down hard, grimacing both at the name and the flavor of his re-heated, canned soup. "Morning. So... any ideas?"

"Actually something came up. Saya spotted it on her shift last night."

Kohta stood and made his way over to the gas dispensers. To a one, they were sucked dry, but that wasn't what he was pointing out. On the far side of one a message had been sprayed in black paint.

"**In a World of the Dead, Salvation is at Hand**"

"**Where there was darkness, now there is Light**"

"**Where there was suffering, now there is Hope**"

"**Where there was fear, now there is Friendship**"

"**Where there was ruin, now there is Civilization**"

And then there at the bottom:

"**Seek salvation two kilometers west, three and a half kilometers south**"

Looked damn wordy, really, for a simple 'help is here' but in a way, that almost made Takashi more curious. Then again, after Kumejima, he wasn't exactly keen on supposed outposts of humanity. Not until he saw them with his own eyes. From a very, very safe distance.

"What do you think?"

Takashi gave him a look that told him, in no uncertain terms, that he was a fool. "I think we're setting ourselves up for another disappointment."

The marksman winced, his one good eye going puppy-dog like.

However, before he could get truly upset, Takashi ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Still, we don't exactly have a busy schedule. We check it out. But this time we check it out _carefully_. Does everyone else know?"

"Just Saya," he replied.

Takashi glanced back at the group, watching as they began enjoying their breakfast. A sharp contrast to a week or two ago, they weren't laughing and telling jokes, they were shoveling food into their mouths and staring off into space. Lost and silent and depressed. Even Alice seemed more morose than usual this morning.

"Keep this between us," decided Takashi, his voice pitched low. "I'll ask Saya to do the same. No sense getting their hopes up."

Kohta nodded, making his way back to rejoin the group and polish off his breakfast.

* * *

They left an hour later, after everyone had a chance to eat, freshen up, and prepare themselves. Saya grabbed a city map for tourists from the convenience store, and with it, she and Takashi had located where the message came from. Under the guise of 'taking a look at a potential new home' Takashi led them down the road, following the message instructions.

According to the map, the place they were looking for was a subway station. Certainly an interesting choice to build a home for survivors, but if it worked, Takashi certainly wasn't going to knock it.

Every so often, as they travelled through the city, they spotted more graffiti like the ones they'd seen back at the gas station. Directions kept changing to match their location, and by some stroke of luck, only Saya, Kohta, and Takashi kept noticing them. Everyone else assumed the black spray paint was more graffiti and paid it no mind.

Reading 'the End is Nigh' on a regular basis tended to make one uninterested in that sort of thing.

Finding the subway station, Takashi called a halt. Since it was about mid-day, he already had a suitable plan in mind.

"This looks like a good place to take a break," he called out from the parking lot. "Kohta, Rei, let's check inside. Maybe we can find something useful. Saeko, Saya, if you two could keep guard out here?"

The two girls nodded, hands resting on their respective swords.

Takashi made his way to the entrance, mildly relieved, though not terribly surprised, to see more black spray paint on the entranceway. Some sort of black emblem, a ragged sun from the looks of it. However, well-remembering the time in Kumejima, he made his way inside slowly and carefully, and kept his weapon on hand as he and his teammates entered the main lobby of the station.

Empty.

The whole place was completely empty.

Puzzled, he rubbed his head, exchanging a glance with Kohta when Rei wasn't looking. He shrugged his shoulders, AR-10 still primed. "There doesn't seem to be anyone here," he said.

"Someone has been though," Rei called out, indicating some heavy blankets laying down against a nearby wall. As well as the gutted out remains of a TV set. "Looks like they left in a hurry though."

"Uh, guys?"

Takashi and Rei glanced up at Kohta's worried tone, jogging over to where he was quickly. He pointed at the wall, which was peppered with bullet holes. There'd been a fight here. And not a pretty one.

"We're leaving," said Takashi. "Fall back to the exit..."

Click. Click. Click. Ka-chink. Click. Click. Ka-chink. Swish. Click. Click. Click. Click. Ka-chink. Ka-chink. Click. Thump. Click. Click. Ka-chink. Swish-swish. Click. Whirl.

"Going so soon?"

Freezing in his tracks, the three survivors turned as slowly as they could. Not that it helped much. There was a small army of guns trained on them. Held in the hands of other survivors. Most were in ordinary clothes, some fatigues and dark leathers, chains and the like. Some of them were even wearing Fujimi High uniforms. And Rei recognized the cobalt blue design of the nearby rival school, Romeku Academy, on two of the girls. The only common, unifying theme was that all sported black armbands on their left arm, as if they were in mourning. And they were all armed, some with makeshift clubs and knives, others with rifles and pistols. The M16 rifle and the M9 semiautomatic, Kohta identified in the back of his head. Soldier stock weapons. One of them even had a chain and was whirling it through the air at his side.

But the most important part was their expressions. These weren't frightened survivors protecting a sanctuary from potential invaders. There was malice in those eyes. And a keen understanding.

It was a trap. And Takashi had just led them right into it.

"Run!"

Gunfire erupted from the other group as Takashi, Kohta and Rei dove, the marksman firing off a wild shot over their heads to try and startle them. Curiously, the other group seemed to be doing the same as the three of them bolted for the exit. They must've wanted to take prisoners.

Which was probably worse, he realized.

The three of them burst back out of the station but only to find more fighting had already begun outside, as Shizuka clutched Saito and Alice to her while Saeko was engaging a tall boy with long steel pipe, and Saya was just finishing off her own opponent with a kick in the crotch. He was going to feel that in the morning, reflected Takashi, as he sprang to her defense, jumping off the stairs to land on the back of one attacker. Beside him, he spotted Kohta opening fire, a bullet whizzing through the air to impact near one of the attacker's heads, burying itself in the lamp-post beside him.

"That wasn't a miss!" yelled Kohta, tugging back on the action without missing a beat. "And neither will the next one that goes clear through your head!"

One of their attackers leapt through the air and came down hard with a kick, knocking Kohta's AR-10 out of his hands. Disarmed, the paunchy Marksman stumbled backwards, fumbling for the dagger strapped to his chest.

Having finished off her original opponent, Saeko leapt forward, blade sliding easily out of her sheath as she prepared to bifurcate the man attacking Kohta. To her surprise, however, a length of steel swung around to intercept her katana, and she belatedly realized he'd countered with a sharp sword of his own. A second one of the same length rested easily in his other hand. But that wasn't the most shocking aspect. As she peered up at his face she found she recognized those pale features and cerulean eyes.

"Osashubi-san?" she breathed in amazement.

"Been a long time, Busujima-sama," replied her enemy in a mocking tone of voice. Without another word his other sword swung up and around, and she had to leap back to avoid it, countering his next strike with her katana. His movements were flawless, his precision deadly. But he seemed to be holding back, and he was still pressing the advantage. Frowning darkly, she pushed forward, swinging her katana in quick, successive strikes, hammering at his defenses.

Seeing Saeko was holding her own with Two Swords, Takashi ran to Rei's defense as she was getting hemmed in by multiple attackers, protecting Shizuka and the children. She swung her naginata high over her head, keeping them at a distance, but how long was the question, as she could take down one, maybe two if she was lucky, but if they came at her from all angles one of them would get lucky and overwhelm her.

"Rei!"

Takashi leapt forward, swinging his club, but missed his opponent cleanly as they dodged. He was more used to fighting Them, They didn't move nearly so fluidly. His living enemy countered with the butt of their rifle, catching him in the gut and knocking the wind out of him. He went down hard onto one knee, but refused to fall. He didn't even let go of his club, though his arm felt numb.

A shriek caused Takashi's head to snap up, and he saw in an instant that Two Swords had slipped past Saeko and darted for Saya, who had just finished drawing her wakizashi. Before she could bring the weapon to bare, however, he slipped in close, past her guard and brought up his own sword, now aiming the tip directly at her throat. Wisely, the pink-haired girl had frozen. Saeko, crouched low and about to attack, froze as well.

"Surrender your weapons!" shouted the young man, loud enough to be clearly heard by everyone. Near immediately, the fighting stopped. Takashi glanced around, checking their status, but he was down, Kohta had been disarmed, Saeko and Saya were outmatched, and Shizuka and the children were surrounded. Saito looked terrified and about to bolt, and only Shizuka's firm grip on him seemed to be keeping him in place. He growled almost as loudly as Zeke did at their approaching attackers.

"Surrender your weapons," the young man repeated, directing the comment towards Takashi and Rei.

Takashi's grip tightened on his club. "Over my dead b-"

Two sword hands moved like a pair of blurs, and in an instant, the pointed tip of his blades were pressed against both Saya and Saeko's throats. "That can be arranged," he said coldly. "_Surrender _your_ weapons_."

He hesitated, but only for an instant. His club impacted hard against the ground as he tossed it aside.

"We came here seeking sanctuary. That was you, wasn't it? This was all some damn trap?" his voice raised in controlled anger, as Takashi's golden orbs glanced left or right. Where was a zombie when you really needed one? But neither his voice nor the thrown weapon seemed to have attracted any. They were on their own.

"There is sanctuary for the worthy," replied the cerulean-eyed man, still holding his blades to keep Saeko and Saya docile. "Take them."

At the orders of Two Swords, who seemed to be in charge, the other survivors surged forward, claiming weapons and shoving the Fujimi High Survivors into a group, binding their wrists behind their backs with elastic straps. After a few minutes, a rough bag was thrust over Takashi's head, and he lost sight of the others. Then he was roughly shoved forward.

"Where're we going?" he demanded. He was rewarded for his insolence with another rough push.

"Keep moving!"

That was the only answer he got for the next twenty minutes or so, as their captors pushed the group forward. Takashi could only pray they were all still together, though he heard Saya's coughing, and a distinct request to show her some leniency from Kohta. As before, however, the reply was always the same. Keep moving. He wasn't even sure how much time passed before he was brought to a halt, only aware he'd gone up and down hill, in and through and probably around buildings, and finally come to a stop.

"Rest here," came the voice of one of their captors. "We'll be back."

Takashi heard some more shuffling from all around but couldn't see a thing, they'd left the bag atop of his head and it was dark, wherever they were. He was fairly sure of that. Concrete floor under his shoes, judging from the feel of it.

"Is everyone still there? Alice? Shizuka-sensei?"

"Still here," came Rei's voice, from somewhere behind him. "I think we all are."

"Here."

"Here!"

"Also here!"

"Saito-kun's here too!"

"Present," a male voice added, as well as the bark of Zeke, crouched by his foot. By process of elimination, that must've been Kohta.

A few minutes later everyone confirmed their presence. Takashi sighed in relief. He wanted desperately to sit down and rest, his legs were burning from the long walk, but he didn't dare relax here. He was deep in enemy territory. Who knew what these bastards wanted with them? He was starting to grow very, very skeptical about this whole 'salvation' thing.

Suddenly a door swung open with a loud creak, and Takashi realized they were not alone.

Seconds later, the bags were removed, and they all breathed in the comparatively fresh air. It smelled of dank, old sweat and mildew. At least it was an improvement over the bags. In that instant, some bright lights came on overhead, and they winced, shutting their eyes instinctively. Takashi vaguely made out the outline of some shadowy figures by the doorway, but he couldn't see the room too clearly. It looked like white linoleum walls but he couldn't be too sure.

A disembodied voice floated out of the light and the shadows. "To be judged worthy of paradise," it said "one of your number must be selected to participate in a duel to the death."

"The heck are you talking about? Where do you get off-?"

"Choose!" the voice boomed, cutting off his protest. "You've fifteen minutes," it added, less loudly. The door began to creak shut again.

"What happens if the one we choose loses?" demanded Kohta.

The door paused, and the voice returned. "You _all_ die," it said, and then it vanished as the door closed, and they were left alone.

His eyes finally adjusting to the light, Takashi made a quick check of the others, ensuring everyone was alright. Apart from being shaken up and justifiably scared, none of them were hurt. But they were unarmed, and now they'd been given a challenge. And they had to decide soon, or there was no telling what these insane marauders might do with them.

"What do we do Takashi?" asked Rei.

"We should try and get out of here," said Kohta. "These people are insane."

Saya, leaning by his side, shook her head. "Insanity is relative. But we won't get far without weapons and with no idea where we are. For now we need to play along. That means we do as they say. We choose our best fighter."

Seeing the wisdom of their statement, Takashi ran a mental list and checked off their options. Zeke, Alice and Saito were out, they were all too little. Shizuka was about as dangerous as a toothless rabbit, and Saya was still under the weather. That left himself, Kohta, Rei and Saeko. All of whom were best with weapons, not hand to hand.

"Allow me to fight," intoned Saeko, interrupting his thought process before it could be completed. "I believe I know whom our opponent to be is, and I stand the best chance unarmed. I know some rudimentary jujutsu..."

Takashi shook his head. "No, I should go."

Puzzled, Kohta ventured a hesitant protest. "Takashi, Saeko-san _is_ the better fighter..."

"No. I represent this group. Besides, they said it was to the death. I can't ask any of you to kill someone like that. It's not right. I'll do it. I'm the leader, after all," he added ruefully. "It's my burden to bear."

"And if you fail?" demanded Saya angrily. This was no time for stupid stubborn nobility.

He gave them an even look, his voice dropping an octave. "Then I'm relying on Saeko to get you all out of here alive."

Even Saya smirked, getting his strategy now. Takashi hadn't gone completely soft just yet, it seemed. She gave Takashi a nod of respect.

The Busujima swordswoman also nodded, accepting her new responsibility solemnly. Her Miyamoto counterpart was less constrained in her show of emotions as she gave Takashi a hug, wishing him luck in his death match. The others chimed in with well-wishes, and in almost no time the door was opened up. Takashi squared his shoulders as three of the strangers came in, armed with machine guns and ready for a fight. At their head was a dark-haired boy not much older than he was, with a standard school uniform and a beaded necklace.

"So, you decided yet?" he asked.

"I'm Takashi Komuro. And I'll fight for the safety of this group," replied Takashi.

"Sounds good to me, bruthah," replied the other boy. "Take him down to the arena. The others can watch."

The group was led down a hallway and out a set of doors into a wide, open space. Peering up, Takashi saw an artificial roof, and realized they were in a domed stadium. A baseball stadium, no less. However, it looked as if that lovable pastime hadn't been seen here in a long time, now the place had the look of a war camp. There were tents set up everywhere, thick, sturdy with a green military coloration. Several survivors watched from their long shadows as Takashi and his family were led past. Part of the dome had been broken, torn clean open by something crashing through it. And looking below the gaping hole quickly revealed what that the destruction had been caused by a helicopter taking its final landing, having crashed in the middle of the field.

Curiously, it was a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, the same sort that had been evacuating survivors from Shintoko Third Elementary. This must've come from one of the other sites being evacuated. That explains why they were mostly students amongst the survivors, as well military hardware. The Air Force operating the helicopter must've been their former owners.

Takashi was ushered by the boy and one of the guards towards a circling of concrete walls and twisted metal. It was about a meter and a half high, coming up to his shoulder, and covered in barbed wire that looked like it had hastily been nailed down atop of it. Two entrances were available, a pair of metal slabs that could be slid aside and back into place to prevent anyone leaving. One of these entrances was provided, and Takashi was roughly pushed inside of his arena, already looking for his opponent, as well as trying to think of a way to win. He desperately tried to remember some of the martial arts moves he'd seen Hisashi use, but reluctantly had to admit he was unlikely to do very well. He just had to hope whoever he was fighting wasn't very good.

The ground was covered in bloodstains. Lots of them.

_Maybe this wasn't such a good idea_, he thought, suddenly very worried.

Past the little arena, in the stands above the field, Rei, Saeko, and the rest had been ushered into seats by their armed guards. Some of the other survivors were gathering around, evidently this was going to be something of a spectacle. Their elevated seating gave them a decent view of the arena below, though it was well out of reach. They could see Takashi and cheer him on, but none of them would be any help to him. He had to fight this fight alone.

The young man from before took up a position by the opposite entrance. "Are you ready to fight for your salvation?"

Takashi shrugged off his black coat and threw it aside, trying to look intimidating. To his credit, he managed, in just his red t-shirt the lines of wiry muscles on his arms were more evident. "Let's get this over with."

Had the young punk been his opponent, he might've been worried going up against Takashi, who not only looked a few pounds heavier, but a heck of a lot meaner. His features, normally so handsome, were remarkably dark when he scowled. However, the boy only grinned, revealing some ugly metal braces, and beckoned to his subordinates, who were holding down Takashi's real opponent with some chains. A burlap bag covered their head, a rope attached to the top.

"Then prepare to fight... a Revenant!"

_A what now?_ thought Takashi.

His enemy was pushed through the grate, the chains released from its neck with much alacrity, and the door slammed to the arena, trapping them within. A tug of the rope later, and the bag was ripped over the wall from its head. Not his head, not her head. _Its_ head. Takashi's golden eyes opened wide in shock and horror as he realized his opponent wasn't even human. He'd been sent into a death match against one of Them.

A buxom woman, or so it had once been, in a short green shirt that barely covered to her midriff, and a pair of long khaki pants. Now gray and soiled with blood and grime. Her hair was long and might've once been beautiful, but now it was tangled and ragged and stank of disease and decay. Worst of all was the face, however. Partially gnawed at by other undead, her left cheekbone clearly visible, and her eyes were open and wide, because her eyelids had been cleanly removed. It was such a sickening sight Takashi felt his stomach churn.

_You have got to be shitting me!_ he thought, grateful a moment later he hadn't said it out loud. If he'd shouted it would've caught his undead opponent's attention.

_Think, Takashi,_ he told himself. _Keep quiet. Its dead, it can't see you. Just stay quiet_.

His plan was ruined moments later by the spectators, who were yelling and screaming and calling for blood. 'Fight fight fight!' was being chanted, and some of them were banging their weapons and fists and feet against the bars of the railing. The noise was drawing the undead monster's attention, and even if he couldn't home in on Takashi specifically, she was moving. If she bumped into it by accident, he'd still be lunch meat.

"Be careful Takashi!" shouted Rei.

_Okay not good, very not good_, muttered Takashi, trying to think up some options as he maneuvered backwards, keeping some distance between him and his dead enemy. All his original plans had gone out the window. He needed a weapon. There was no way he could take out one of Them without one. But he didn't have any. Even his crowbar had been confiscated back at the subway station.

_Okay, no way to kill it. Need to keep alive until I can. Most important I don't get bit, then I'm screwed even if I win. So gotta keep it from biting-..._

An idea struck him.

Without waiting to give it proper thought, he just said "screw it" and grabbed his shoe, ripping it off his foot without bothering to unlace. Shifting it in his hand, he held it like a weapon. Hollers of laughter and taunting came from up above in the stands, evidently his antics were providing amusement for the crowd.

Up in the stands, Saya face palmed herself, while Rei and Alice were cheering Takashi on. Most of the others just looked confused by his tactics.

"Come and get me you ugly bitch!" he shouted, brandishing his makeshift weapon. "Come on, nice juicy flesh, come and sink your teeth in!"

The undead monster gave a weak moan and opened its mouth wide, rotted teeth bared as it sprang forward face first, eager to taste warm, living meat. This was exactly what Takashi had counted on, however. His timing was spot on as he grabbed the zombie's shoulder as it came at him and thrust his shoe forward between its gaping mouth. The undead creature sank its deadly teeth in hard but, lacking any sort of taste, could not tell its intended victim had escaped being bitten.

However, it still crashed full force into Takashi, knocking them both down on the ground. Takashi quickly shifted his grip, ignoring the sense of grime and grit as he grabbed a fistful of the zombie's long hair and pulled its head down, forcing the shoe deeper into the mouth. If his opponent had been living, it would've begun to choke by now, but as it is, it just kept biting, trying to eat the hunk of leather.

Takashi rolled out from underneath the zombie with some difficulty, pushing down hard with his hand as it continued to try and eat the shoe, and cast his gaze about desperately for a weapon to crush its skull and be done with it. Alas, no luck, nothing heavy enough, hard enough, and mobile enough.

_Think Takashi, think_, he mentally berated himself. He'd staved off death but for how long?

The only thing nearby hard enough to crack a skull was...

"That's it!"

He grabbed up the zombie by the scruff of its neck as it clawed its way to its feet, using his other hand to grab at its belt. Holding on firmly, and trusting in its lack of agility, he drew the zombie back a few feet then rammed it forward, face-first, right into the concrete barrier of the arena. There was a sickening crack. Takashi paused, wondering if that had been enough, but then the undead creature gave another weak moan and he pulled them back for another run, a little further this time. A second ram into the hard wall, and the body fell limp underneath Takashi, as if all the life had gone out of it. It collapsed in a boneless heap. He jumped back, eyeing it warily, but after a few minutes, it refused to move. It was well and truly dead now.

A moment of silence passed...

... and then the stands erupted into cheering, hollering, yelling, and all around a cacophony of sound. Some of the Black Sun seemed to be impressed, many others were angry for some reason. Most vocal of all came the cheers and support from his own family, sitting at the front of the stands.

"Yeah! Gooo Takashi!" Rei shouted.

Alice chimed in as well, cheering from the balcony. "Good work, big brother!"

"Whoo! You the man!" shouted Kohta, fist pumping in the air.

Takashi smiled weakly, feeling drained, and instead made his way to the door, still keeping the dead body within sight.

The door opened, and Takashi was ushered out by the same punk as before, who gave him a noticeably wider berth than usual as he escorted Takashi to the stands to reunite with the others. Rei practically glomped him as soon as he came into sight, and Saeko was close behind with a hug and a whispered congratulations. Takashi accepted their thanks, feeling vast relief, but only let the moment soak in a little while before he turned back to their captors.

"So," he said neutrally. "What happens now?"

* * *

Turns out what came next was salvation, though it was an odd sort to be sure. Takashi and his group met with more of the survivors, being introduced as 'new Brothers and Sisters of the Black Sun.' They were given a tent to set up and space to do so besides the other little shanty city in the middle of the baseball field. They also got food, in the form of serviceable MRE packs. Fresh water was provided in the form of some drinking fountains, refillable canteens, and even showers down in the locker rooms. Not exactly hot showers, and privacy was questionable, but after days of being covered in grime and sweat, it was a welcome change.

These gifts, however, came with a fair share of rules. They weren't allowed to leave the stadium, and armed guards patrolling the outer ring tended to discourage people breaking this law. There were certain places they couldn't go, also under armed guard. They still couldn't get their weapons back, those were locked up somewhere. And while they were not harassed or ordered by the gun-toting Brothers and Sisters, it was strongly suggested they attend the ceremony taking place this Saturday night.

Taking a quick glance outside of their tent to ensure they had a measure of privacy, Takashi zipped up the flap and conferred with Saya, Kohta and Rei concerning their plight. The kids were out with Shizuka and Saeko getting dinner. Apparently someone had setup a grill at the far end of the baseball field, so food tonight would be cooked.

"Well... it took us a while but we finally found other survivors. Not quite what I was hoping for," Takashi admitted.

"Takashi they keep liv-... er, dea-... they keep frickin' zombies here! Call them Revenants or whatever but that's just plain stupid. And if that wasn't the worst part they're for frickin' death matches?"

"These people are batty," muttered Saya. "But what concerns me more is this Leader we keep hearing about."

"Leader?" asked Takashi.

She shot him an annoying look. "Weren't you paying attention during the orientation?"

"I kinda lost interest after they told us about hot meals."

She muttered something darkly under her breath, then launched into a fresh coughing bout. Kohta gently patted her back until the fit passed and she cleared her throat. "Their Leader never emerges to speak to the common rabble, or so we've been told. His doctrine, his decrees, they always come through the Head Brothers and Sisters who speak to him. Like that Hide jerk who nearly got you killed."

"Head of Crusaders, whatever that means," replied Takashi, remembering that much. Yeah, he really didn't like Hide, or Hikaku Murayama, as his technical name was. Something about him rubbed Takashi the wrong way, like the punks from back at school. He was still a bully, but now he had the sort of power to dish out life and death as well at the command of this enigmatic leader. So he was twice as dangerous.

"Or apparently, there's a Ceremonies title as well. But the point is, only they see him. Don't you think that's suspicious?"

Another oddity to be found here, they'd never seen the leader of the community. Whenever he was mentioned, it was always with soft reverence, but no one even spoke his name. It was always just 'The Leader' as if it was some sort of religious icon instead of an actual person.

"I think the standard for normalcy went out the window on Day One," Rei replied sarcastically. "What's important now is what we do?"

"There's no way we're joining this larger group," said Takashi, cutting off Saya before she could even ask her question. "They're dangerous here. I don't trust them, and I doubt any of you do either. But for now they have our weapons and I doubt they'll hesitate to kill us if we do something stupid. Play along until we can come up with better."

"I can try and join the Crusaders," said Kohta after a moment's thought. "Maybe they'll show me where the weapons are."

Saya nodded, fixing her glasses. "After that we'll need a place to go. Ideas?"

Takashi was about to reply when there came the sound of footsteps outside, and someone brushed their hand against the side of the tent. Like knocking, if that was an appropriate way to describe it with such a flimsy door.

"Hey new guys. Ceremony time, you coming?"

Takashi glanced at the flap, annoyed, then back at his comrades.

Saya whispered softly "We need to know more about this place. This may be the easiest way."

Nodding in agreement, he unzipped the flap and led the others out. The same punk from before, Brother Hide, was leading them. Beside him was a young woman of around the same age in a miko's outfit, though the hakama was black instead of red. She was heavily tanned and with artificially dyed hair of vivid blonde, and still wearing enough make-up to sink a barge. She introduced herself as Konna, Sister of Ceremonies, and asked them all follow her in a shrill tone of voice.

* * *

Without her sword, Saeko felt vulnerable. Like a piece of herself was missing. Thus, no matter how well protected the community may have been, she was on edge. And she did not need to be a genius to see the guards were keen to both keep zombies out and keep people in. This was a prison as much as a sanctuary. But it was not her place to cause trouble, not when their leader had risked his life getting them in. For now, she would play nice and remain quiet, watchful and ready for when things changed.

Right now, that meant taking care of more mundane concerns to pass the time. Like a cleansing shower.

It wasn't exactly comfortable, since she had to share the locker room with others, but Saeko politely ignored the other girls as the water streamed over her at a temperature just above tepid. Likewise she ignored them as she dried off and reclaimed her clothes from a semi-functional laundry room nearby. The machines were all broken, but she'd left her things behind, and they'd been at least washed and made wearable, so Saeko was thankful for that.

Though if she did not find some fresh panties soon, she was liable to be driven to distraction.

She was about to exit the locker rooms and return to her tent for the night when she bumped into someone.

Glancing up, she was about to murmur an apology, when she saw it was the two sword combatant she'd faced yesterday. And he didn't look the slightest bit apologetic. In fact, he looked downright pleased. Her blue eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Osashubi-san," she said coolly.

"Well, it's good to see you're around, Busujima-san. It's a real comfort to me knowing we've such a very accomplished fighter here with us now. I mean, aside from me."

She bristled at his obvious slight on her abilities but declined making a scathing comment, trying to walk past him. He held out an arm to block her.

"Just so you know though, I'm number one around here, and it has afforded me certain privileges... privileges I might be able to share..."

"Not interested," she said, voice pitched low and cold as winter. She deliberately did not look at him.

He smirked, brushing a hand through dark locks of hair. "And you won't get very far without many friends. Especially without your precious piece of tin in hand. So be certain to keep that in mind, Ice Queen," he remarked off-handedly, slipping out of sight into the locker room that had been designed males (in reality, the rival teams).

Saeko fumed at being so dismissed. She was strongly tempted to slip into the men's side, steal Kensui's sword, and impale him on it. But he might not be alone in there, and the last thing she wanted to do was cause strife now. _Later_, she told herself. _Later_.

_Screw later, did you hear what that-!_

_I said later, Shinigami._

_No! Now, do it!_

"Saeko?"

The purple-haired woman's head snapped up to see Shizuka peering down at her with some concern. She shivered involuntarily, giving one last glance the way Kensui had gone, but ultimately, calmed herself. _Later_.

Blinking bright eyes in confusion, the blonde nurse glanced from the younger woman to where Kensui had gone, confused.

"Friend of yours?" asked the blonde nurse, after the young man was well out of hearing range.

"Anything but. His name is Kensui Osashubi. His family teaches a rival school of kendo that promotes strength and aggression, rather than grace and refinement. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, he was the reigning national champion last year for our age."

Shizuka blinked, confused. "I thought that was you?"

Saeko shook her head. "Only the women's division... a fact he has never failed to remind me of. We have never faced one another in a formal contest, and the only time we have ever fought for real was yesterday."

"Is he... is he stronger than you, Saeko-san?" she asked, the words feeling alien as they emerged from her mouth.

Everyone in their little group was more than a bit in awe of just how strong Saeko was. True, they all had exceptional skill at something, she herself continually surprised her colleagues with insight into medical knowledge both historical and practical. But Saeko was like a demon with a sword in hand, unstoppable and undefeatable.

Until now.

A sigh slipped from Saeko's lips. "I do not know. But I will likely find out very soon."

* * *

Every other day a ceremony of reflection was held, whereupon those under the Black Sun could gather to remember their pasts and envision their futures, together, as a close-knit entity.

At least, that's how they described it to Takashi and the others. Personally, Takashi felt it was starting to sound like a pep rally, but he was getting curious when he saw how excited some were about attending. Maybe it would be good. Then again, Takashi recalled distinctly these people had been cheering watching him in the midst of a Zombie Death Match. And rooting for his opponent. He wasn't feeling the slightest bit of sympathy for any of them right now.

It was being held in the conference room on the upper level. Evidently before the End of Times it was used by the teams to promote awareness and to sign autographs, and maybe even have expensive parties on site. Now it was a place of solace for the refugees of the Black Sun. Braziers lined the far wall where a raised platform was, and most of the community had already gathered near it, sitting on their knees. They were a mixed group, but for the most part they were young people, mostly high school and college aged, they didn't have many people over thirty at the most. Yet another curious oddity.

They took up seats in the back with the best view. Saeko was the only one not present, currently watching over the children and Zeke back at their tent. Shizuka had rejoined them after finding her.

Brother Hide drew their attention with a small bronzed gong, and once everyone had settled down, turned it over to Konna, who raised up her hands and began to intone in what must have been a most solemn tone of voice. Unfortunately, it still grated on the ear.

"Where there was darkness, now there is light!"

"With the rising of the Black Sun," repeated the others.

"Where there was pain, now there is joy!"

"Here we are safe and happy," they repeated in dull monotone.

"Where there was fear, now there is family!"

"Together we are stronger than we would be alone!" they replied.

"Where there was loss, now there is love!"

"Praise to the Black Sun!" Now it was becoming something of a chant.

As she spoke, one of her acolytes began adding some herb or dust to the braziers. A sweet smell began to fill the room as the flames crawled higher from their new fuel.

"Black Sun rises to shine down on all," he declared, gazing up at the ceiling. All around him, the others did the same, raising their palms skywards as the smell of burning incense washed over them. Originally it had seemed sweet, but now it was quickly turning very bitter. Shizuka coughed, waving at the air to try and dispel the awful scent. But the incense was having a profound effect on the refugees. To a one, they looked... euphoric was the only word Shizuka could think of as appropriate. Glass-eyed and wide smiles, as if all their cares had melted away and then evaporated into nothingness by the power of their beliefs. Actually, now that she thought on it, she did find a better word. It looked like blissful rapture.

And then they started making out.

Shizuka blinked her eyes, almost unsure of what she was seeing. Moments earlier they'd been kneeling in quiet, respectful. She turned to look at the priestess leading the ceremony, but she was already joining in with them! Several were starting to undress, paying no heed to whomever might've been within a few feet. Within mere minutes the whole ceremony had erupted into a wild party, and was rapidly degrading into a drunken orgy.

"Wait a minute, I know that smell... they're burning hydrangea paniculata!" said Shizuka. "That's what the incense is."

"That's a hallucinogen, isn't it?" asked Rei, instantly bringing her hands up to cover her nose and mouth. The rest of them did the same, quickly moving away from the braziers.

"Affects perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, and behavior," Shizuka rattled off with expert precision.

Takashi frowned behind his hand as the description tugged at his memories. "Wait a minute, Hydr-... isn't that the stuff that was all over the island we went too? Remember, with the beach?"

Saya's left eyebrow twitched.

Images long buried slipped to the forefront to assault her brain. Awakening in the arms of someone who wasn't her Momma. Kohta dry-humping a broom handle like there was no tomorrow. And most searing of all, Saeko and Rei locked in a passionate embrace barely ankle deep in the cool blue water.

_NOOOOOOOOO!_

"We agreed never to speak of that!" hissed Saya angrily, rubbing her temples and trying to exorcise the images out of her head.

"That actually explains a lot though," remarked Shizuka thoughtfully. "It's an intoxicant... its why everyone here is so cloudy-eyed. They're still dreaming. That's why nobody protests when something strange happens. They're afraid they won't be allowed to dream again."

"Dream nothing, this is a damn nightmare," muttered Takashi, watching a couple stumble past, the girl already half out of her shirt as he pawed at her bra, both of them giggling insipidly. "These people are going to wake up the next morning and have no idea what they did. Or who," he added, spotting their guide Konna being groped at by at least three young men, and loving it immensely.

"Oh yes, boys, yes! Yes! YES!" she squealed. "Aaaahh!"

Pinching her nose tightly shut to avoid inhaling the 'incense' Saya pushed through the deep breathing and wildly partying fanatics to try and reach the door. "Out of my way! Genius coming through!"

She'd almost made it to the door too, when a hand snapped out and grabbed her wrist. She glanced back in horror as a big, muscular man in a white sleeveless pulled her towards him. "You're beautiful," he slurred. "Wanna kiss?"

Saya was about to reply she was also repulsed by stupid people, which he clearly was, when Kohta grabbed the guy's arm and wrenched her free of his grip. "She's spoken for!" he said, glaring up at the man, a good foot taller than him, with his good eye.

"It's just one little k-!"

Without warning the larger man swung out a fist at Kohta, who, completely unprepared, took a blow full in the face, nearly knocking his glasses clean off his face. He went staggering back but, amazingly, didn't fall before Takashi could catch him and support him. His upper lip was bleeding, however.

"Now you come with me!" roared the larger man, again grasping for Saya's arm.

Kohta growled, even as Takashi's hand clamped on his shoulder.

"Kohta, no, we don't want to start trouble. Let's get one of the Crusaders to break this up. We don't need to go picking a fight."

The big man, having cornered Saya in the far side of the room by the door. Ignoring her protests, he grabbed her wrists and then leaned in and _licked_ her cheek, sighing blissfully.

The one-eyed marksman shrugged off Takashi's hand. "Fight's been picked!" he declared, and charged forward, hitting the larger man in the midsection and knocking him to the ground.

"I'll castrate you, you sonofa-!"

The larger man responded with another meaty punch, knocking Kohta clean off of him. The two began to roll on the floor, kicking and struggling. Takashi leapt in, grabbing at his teammate's flak vest for leverage and trying to haul him back. Seconds later, several Crusaders, two armed with rifles, came in and each grabbed an arm of the big man each, hauling him away.

Brother Hide was there mere moments later, and immediately rounded on Takashi and Kohta.

"The fuck is going on here man? You're ruining the ceremony!"

"Blame this guy!" replied Takashi, pointing at the larger man, nursing a bruised cheek. "He assaulted one of ours!"

"No way man, this psycho newcomer attacked me first!"

"That's a lie!" roared Kohta, renewing his struggles against Takashi. And he almost broke free too. But Hide stepped between them and shoved them roughly apart.

"Confinement," he decreed, indicating Kohta. "Lock this troublemaker up and give him a chance to cool off. And you," he added to the larger man. "You go soak your head in a fountain before I lock you up with him."

"Hey!" shouted Saya, jumping in as two more of the armed Brothers moved to intercept her. "You can't do that, bakas! He didn't start it, this jerk did!"

"He's still in probation. As are you, Sister," Hide added dangerously. "Now out of the way, or you'll share in his punishment!"

They could only watch helplessly as Kohta was dragged away, though to his credit, he didn't struggle much. His mission was accomplished, he'd defeated his enemy and protected what he'd set out to protect. He could afford a little time in confinement. Whatever that meant.

Saya, fuming so visibly her pink hair looked like it was fuscia flame, angrily spun on her heel and stalked off, every other muttered word out of her mouth 'baka,' though whether she was calling Kohta, herself, or the Black Sun idiots none could quite make out. Perhaps it was a mixture of all three.

"We should get back to the tent," said Rei, guiding Shizuka to follow as they made their way after Saya's retreating figure.

"I'll go talk to Brother Hide," replied Takashi. "See if we can get this smoothed over."

* * *

Saya was pacing furiously back at the tent, Alice and Saito crouched in the far corner. The former wanted to comfort her, but recognized well enough to keep out of her big sisters way when she was agitated like this. Saito was just plain terrified. He didn't even recognize a lot of the words she was saying.

And she was _trying _to restrain some of her language with the little ones present.

Takashi slipped in moments later, Rei following close behind. Saya's head snapped up, eager to hear whatever they'd found out.

"All we found out is that Kohta's in a holding cell on the upper levels. Its converted from one of those balcony view rooms. The only way out is a single door, or if he's stupid, through a glass window and fifty feet down into the stands. They say they're keeping him there until the Leader decides what to do with him."

"Damnit!" screamed Saya. "That baka! He wouldn't be in this mess if he'd just stayed out of the way! I had that creep!"

Rei was skeptical of that, but remained sympathetic as she gently grabbed Saya's shoulders and hushed her, giving her a comforting hug. She'd probably be just as miserable and frantic if Takashi had been the one locked up by the Brotherhood. This whole place was downright unsettling. There was madness and rampancy and everyone talked of sanctuary and salvation and all they did was practice sin with a smile on their faces.

They had to get out. They couldn't stay here. Rei would rather go back to the wastelands and starve with Takashi and her new family before she grew old and died in a place like this.

Saya felt the same, for she hadn't yet stopped ranting.

"I swear by Kami-sama himself when I meet this so-called Leader I'm going to shove my fist so far down his throat..."

There was a tap at the door of the tent, and Saya immediately shut up. Someone was outside. Takashi unzipped the flap and lifted it up to reveal a bespectacled girl with short brown hair just outside.

"I'm ever so sorry, I hope I got this right. Is this the tent of Rei Miyayama?"

"Miyamoto," she corrected gently as she slipped to her feet.

The messenger nodded, correcting herself. "Right, Miyamoto, sorry. Listen, our Leader was interested in meeting you. Like, right now."

Curious glances were exchanged by the group.

"Good," said Takashi, also standing. "We'll see him then."

"The Leader only said he wanted to talk to Miyamoto-san," she explained, holding out a hand to block Takashi.

"No dice. Get out of my way," he replied darkly, his body tensing.

She shook her head so firmly she nearly dislodged her glasses. "I'm sorry, sir..."

"Look you-!"

The girl snapped her fingers sharply, and Takashi glanced up to see two burly Crusaders make their way over towards them. Damnit, this was trouble he didn't need.

"No, you look," said the girl. "His word is law around here! I can't make excepti-!"

Rei shoved Takashi's arm out of the way and got right in the messengers face, pissed off. "Takashi comes with me, or I'm not going. Capiche?"

"Is there a problem here?" asked one of the Crusaders when they arrived, a big man armed with a very wicked looking machete.

"No, of course not," said Rei with a sweet smile. "We were just on our way, weren't we?"

The messenger backed down after that, muttering something about it not being her hide, and beckoned the two of them to follow, leading them around the edge of the stadium and through one of its outer corridors, where hotdog and t-shirt stands could be found. As well as more than a few armed guards, and more and more the closer they got to the Leaders sanctuary. Marked by a black sunburst on the door, which seemed to have been formally an office of some kind.

"You may want to kneel," she said. "It's considered more respectful."

Takashi folded his arms, remaining standing, and Rei did the same beside him. Who did this prick think he was, some kind of emperor?

Seeing they weren't interested in such, the messenger reached the doorway and knocked respectfully four times slowly. She then dropped to her own knee out of the way of the door, as it creaked open and a figure stepped into the dim lighting of the corridor.

"My, what most favorable circumstances are these that have brought us back together... students."

_Oh no way. No fucking way!_

Rei's brain slammed on its brakes hard as she gazed up in absolute horror at the descending speaker, the enigmatic Leader of the Black Sun. As he stepped into the light, the shadows retreated, revealing a black pinstripe suit and a greasy black hair, as well as a pair of black rim glasses over a set of narrow, topaz-colored eyes. And worst of all, that sick, twisted mockery of a smile, which more closely resembled a leer at best.

"Hello my children," said Koichi Shido, arms open wide. "It is so very good to see you again."

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**Some may recognize the Brothers and Sisters in this, particularly 'Hide' and Konna, the latter of whom has been named by myself. They were seen briefly in episode four attempting to cross the bridge and were fire-hosed by the police into the river, never to be heard from again (until now). Kensui is a wholly original character.


	10. 09 Advanced Decay

**_IX – Advanced Decay_**

"Those in possession of absolute power can not  
_only prophesize and make their prophecies come  
__true, they can also lie and make their lies  
__come true_."

- **Eric Hoffer**.

* * *

**Kurotaiyou Sanctuary  
****(_Formerly Nagano Stadium, Matsukai City, Japan_)  
****1635 hours,  
****Z Day + 34**

"It's so very good to see you both again," said Shido, making his way towards Rei with arms spread wide, for all intensive purposes looking ready to give her a kindly hug. However, seeing how tense she was, his arms dropped back down and he took a moment to adjust his glasses instead. "You're certainly looking well, if a bit ragged," he amended a moment later, taking in the sight of her stained and somewhat well-worn garments. "And how are the others doing? Takagi-san, and nurse Marikawa? Busujima-san?"

"They're fine," replied Takashi, his whole body rigid, though he tried to keep his tone civil.

Shido glanced at Takashi as if noticing him for the first time, and his smile slipped, replaced by a frown. "Komuro-kun."

"We've come to speak about the release of one of our people," Takashi said evenly.

Shido's yellow eyes flicked to the mousy messenger, still prostrating herself on the floor. "Sister?"

If anything, her head went even lower. "I'm sorry Leader! I told them they weren't asked to come, only Miyamoto-san, but they did not lis-!"

He smiled again, that wicked leer he must've thought was immeasurably charming. "Relax, Sister. It's quite alright. This is a... fortuitous change of circumstances. Something to be welcomed, not feared. Understood?" he asked, offering her a hand up.

"I understand," she replied shakily, taking his hand and climbing to her feet.

"There's a good girl. Run along now," he said, releasing her hand and patting her affectionately on the cheek. Gooey-eyed and grinning like an idiot, the bespeckled Sister could not slip away fast enough, touching her cheek all the while as if she'd just been given her own personal miracle.

Shido turned back to Rei and Takashi, still smiling.

"Shido-san..." Takashi started to say, but he was smoothly cut off.

"Perhaps we should discuss this inside..."

Shido slid open the door to his office and bid them enter. After the previous dealings with the Kurotaiyou Brotherhood and their ceremonial orgy of sin, they'd half expected to find it a den of evil with skulls and black candles and pentagrams. Instead, it was just an ordinary office, a simple desk and some chairs, two of which were positioned on the opposite side. A portable heating unit was in the corner, humming away and keeping the room at a temperature just above pleasantly tepid. There was a worn couch at the far side of the room, covered in a blanket and obviously in use as a makeshift bed. Brother Hide was there in the back of the room, watching quietly. Shido took the chair behind the desk, reclining regally, and gestured for Takashi and Rei to be seated in some chairs sitting opposite against the wall.

"Make yourself comfortable," he said.

They sat, but it was out of weariness, and both were immensely nervous the whole while. And equally keen not to let their unease show.

"Now you wanted to speak to me about... I'm sorry, what was it again?" asked Shido, in an almost bored tone of voice.

Takashi started to reply, but Rei cut him off "Letting Kohta go. He got locked up in solitary."

"Did he now?"

Brother Hide took that moment to step forward, leaning over and whispering into Shido's ear. The older man nodded as the story was no doubt laid out before him. As he finished and retreated, Shido frowned deeply, the name vaguely familiar to him, but he wasn't quite sure where he'd come by it.

"Kohta... Kohta..."

"Kohta Hirano," Takashi said, seeing his confusion. "You've met before. He was on the bus."

Yellow eyes opened wide, and his left eye twitched as memories came flooding back. The wound had long since healed, but it still stung, just under his eye, where that pudgy gun otaku had shot a nail at him. Whether he'd truly intended to miss or was just a phenomenally bad shot, Shido never found out. Nor did he care to. Of course, neither Takashi nor Rei had been present when Kohta led his little insurrection against Shido and his followers, brazenly attacking him and stealing away the much needed nurse Marikawa when they'd parted ways on the highway. Shido did not look kindly on the incident, and his eyes narrowed as his thoughts finished processing, even as his smile remained firmly in place.

"How... unfortunate," replied Shido softly. "But I'm afraid there's not much I can do if he's a danger to the community. He needs a chance to cool down and... _reflect_... on his mistakes."

"The only-!" Takashi bit his lip before he could say something he'd regret. And good thing too, because the instant he'd started to yell, Hide was coming in fast to his leaders defense. A raised hand from his Leader stopped him, but it reminded Takashi they weren't alone in the room. And while he couldn't see if Shido was armed, Hide certainly was. A pistol rested within very easy reach at his belt.

Takashi took a very deliberate breath before continuing more calmly. "The only mistake he made was trying to defend one of our friends. Takagi-san."

"That's right, she was being harassed by one of the others at the Ceremony," added Rei emphatically. "Some big dumb ox, we never got his name. Kohta-kun only fought back in self-defense."

"And nearly tore the man's throat out, as I understand it," replied Shido smoothly. "No I'm afraid I can't allow my mind to be swayed on this matter. This boy, Kohta..." he murmured, brushing a hand against his cheek. "Clearly unstable. He needs a little time to cool off."

"Can we at least talk with him?" asked Takashi, grasping at straws. "See him?"

Shido considered this, folding his fingers into a tent and gazing across them at Takashi and Rei. Lingering on the latter. "Very well... I'll permit _one _of you to see him and explain the situation to him. A familiar face may... smooth things over, after all. Brother Hide? See to it."

"I'll go," said Takashi. "Thank you, Shido-sensei... we appreciate this."

Both he and Rei rose and prepared to depart as their guide opened the door for them, but Shido's voice stopped them before they could exit.

"Ah, Miyamoto-san?"

They froze by the doorway.

"Please stay... we've much to discuss, you and I," Shido said, leaning back in his seat.

The two of them exchanged a look, and Takashi could see plain as day the revulsion on Rei's face. As well as a deep-seeded fear slowly rising to the surface. But deeper than that was a keen understanding. They were well inside of the Kurotaiyou territory, without their weapons, separated, entrapped. They'd only just managed to secure a chance to speak to Kohta, and they couldn't risk antagonizing the man who'd made it happen. Say whatever else you wanted to about Koichi Shido, he was a shrewd man. And he held the power here.

Which meant...

Rei took a deep breath and nodded. Takashi did the same.

"I'll be back in an hour," he said, loud enough for Hide and Shido to both hear him. "After I talk to Kohta."

"Splendid, that'll be plenty of time to catch up," said Shido, making shoo-ing motions to everyone but Rei, who closed the door and sat back down in her seat, feeling decidedly uncomfortable being the center of attention. Especially with Koichi Shido of all people.

"Simply amazing," was all he said, however, shaking his head. "Simply amazing."

"What is?" she asked, shifting uncomfortably under his gaze.

"That you of all the people in the world would survive. That you would make it this far and here, coming back to me. It's Fate at work here. It must be."

"Dumb luck more like it," she replied, gazing down at the floor.

"Now don't be like that. Don't you think it's more than just coincidence? That you and I both survive? And despite our separate journey's, we both end up right back here? No I sense a greater power at work here. A greater force than either of us can imagine directing the play, producing the movie, writing the manga. We have a connection, Miyamoto-san."

_The only connection I want with you right now is my foot and your crotch_, she thought darkly. However, she managed to keep such to herself as she simply asked "What do you want from me, Shido-san?"

"Now come, come, please, we really need to talk... we've a lot to discuss, you and I. Ask me anything at all, Miyamoto-san."

"Well, the thing I want to know first is... how did you survive?" she added, feeling curious despite herself. "Last we saw you was at Shintoka. That place was overrun."

"So it was," he replied, leaning back. "But Fate smiled on me..."

* * *

_"Sensei it hurts!"_

_Shido barely paid his subordinate a scathing glance. "The medical staff said they would see you soon. Until then be quiet."_

_The blonde student continued to clutch at his shoulder, underneath his jacket, where his injury was. "But it..."_

_"Tsunoda-kun, did I not make myself clear? Did I stutter?" asked Shido, fake smile on his face, but his eyes were glaring daggers at his blonde-haired subordinate._

_"You were perfectly clear, Shido-sensei," intoned Yuuki from her place by his other side. Beside her, Kurokami gave a nod. Together, the four of them were standing in the hallway, awaiting evacuation. After a brief inspection by the medical staff to ensure they weren't bitten._

_Tsunoda whimpered and whined but ultimately went quiet. However, Shido's brief respite from his subordinate's whining was interrupted as he clutched at his stomach. "I don't feel so good," he declared._

_Casting his gaze out frantically, the pinstriped teacher found a solution. "There's a men's' room over that way, Tsunoda-kun. We'll save your place in line, go... take a moment to fresh up. You look like death."_

_Clutching his injured shoulder in one hand and laying his other arm across his stomach, the young man pushed past a few small kids in his way and scurried into the bathroom, out of sight. Shido breathed a sigh of relief the instant he was gone. He was remarkably loyal but he was so dim-witted he needed to be led around like a dog on a leash. At least Yuki and Kurokami, the only other surviving member of their group, were able to think for themselves._

_Really, it was only a miracle any of them had survived, but as always, Shido had come up with the simplest solution to their dilemma. Unable to carry the remaining members of their little group due to various injuries sustained in the crash, they'd left them behind. When a fire had broken out from some spilling gas, their screams and the conflagration had drawn the undead monsters to the bus while Shido and his remaining cohorts had slipped away safely._

_He certainly hadn't had anything to do with the disaster. The strong were to survive, the weak were to be weeded out. Survival of the fittest._

_After that, it had been a simple matter to circumvent the river and make their way to Shintoka Third Elementary following one of the helicopters overhead. They'd been here, in-processing, for some time now. Forced in with other survivors. But Shido had kept his little group together and kept them content with the promise of safety once the helicopter ferried them to Yokota Air Base. And they lapped up his words like cats drinking milk._

Where the devil was Tsunoda?_ he wondered after a long while. _He's been in there for ages. Perhaps I should send Kurokami to make sure he hasn't keeled over and died. Quietly, of course.

_A scream split the air, and Shido's head snapped up, even as his remaining students clustered closer to him for protection. Tsunoda had come stumbling out of the bathroom at long last but people were all but running away from him in terror as his grayed form became visible in the dim lighting. His eyes had rolled back into his head, and blood dripped freely from the sleeve of his coat, no doubt originating from the shoulder he'd been complaining so frequently about._

_Tsunoda had become one of Them. As Shido watched in a mixture of fascination and horror, his former student leapt upon a woman and the small infant clutched in her arms, attacking them both._

_"Get out!" someone screamed._

_"Help me! Oh my god help me!" came another._

_"We're all going to die!"_

_"Everyone please remain calm, the police have this under cont- aauuuuugh!"_

_"Run!"_

_Shido grabbed the back of Yuuki's uniform and yanked her to safety moments before her former lover could attack her next, having finished with the mother and her child. He quickly turned tail and pushed his way through some frantic survivors down another hallway to the administrative offices, which had been closed during the evacuation. Moving quickly, he opened the door and led his followers inside, bracing the door with a chair afterwards to prevent them being followed, since it did not seem to be locked. Another survivor slammed up against the doorway, trying to push it open, but before they could, a graying form leapt on them from behind, teeth sinking into their shoulder. The man fell to the ground underneath his undead attacker's weight, bloody palm slapping against the glass ineffectively to try and get in._

Survival of the fittest_, thought Shido, scarcely giving them a backward glance._

_"Sensei, this way!" said Kurokami, already sliding open one of the windows in the back of the room. It was ground level, so there wasn't even a jump. And better, it led right out into the courtyard where the helicopter was._

_"Good work!" he said, making his way out of the narrow exit first. To ensure the way was safe for those in his charge, of course. Yuuki followed, then Kurokami, slamming it shut behind him seconds before a gray hand caught him, crushing the wrist of his attacker._

_The three of them took off towards the helicopter, which was suddenly swarmed by other survivors who'd erupted into a full-fledged panic. The United State Soldiers were ushering in people as quickly as possible, with no further screening in light of the catastrophe that had befallen the place. However, as they made their way up to the helicopter, the armed soldiers suddenly formed a barricade and stopped anyone else from coming through. Outrage erupted as many people screamed for help, and the soldiers didn't or wouldn't give them any. Then the crowd dispersed as a scream erupted behind them, and some gray forms came into view. Gunshots erupted out of the soldier's rifles as they tried to stem the tide, as well as keep the civilians unharmed, but it was rapidly turning into a chaotic bloodbath._

_Shido, Yuuki, and Kurokami, however, had avoided the worst of it by taking their unorthodox route, and were rapidly approaching the loading part of the helicopter, guarded by a single man now. A younger man in a flak vest and a helmet, with those faded green fatigues and some sort of rank on his shoulder that Shido didn't recognize. Despite their best efforts to slip past unnoticed, Yuuki in her bright green and white uniform, to say nothing of her brilliant red hair, was a stark contrast to the gray and shadowy courtyard. The military man's head snapped up as he saw them coming towards the helicopter, which was already starting to power up._

_"Hey, stay right where you are!" he yelled, jogging over to intercept them, rifle clutched in his hands. He didn't look ready to use it, however. Shido saw to his frustration it was just some stupid kid, barely out of high school. He looked totally out of his element here._

_"We can't remain here," he said, making his way again to the helicopter._

_"I'm sorry sir, I-!"_

_Shido brushed past him. "I said we can't remain here, you idiot!"_

_But the soldier was not deterred, and tried to block Shido again. "Sir, we've already taken in our maximum compliment. That's all we can fit!"_

_"These children need your protection! Now I demand you let us onboard!"_

_The young man tried once more, throwing up an arm to try and physically stop Shido this time. "We can't do that sir! There's no where left to sit!"_

_"We'll _stand_!" spat Shido, pushing past the soldier, reasoning if the boy was going to shoot him he would've done it by now. With barely a backward glance as he climbed into the helicopter, navigating his way amongst the other survivors already on-board. True to the man's word, it was packed, but he managed to find some space in the very back where he braced up against the side and stood. Yuuki and Kurokami joined him._

_"Take off!" someone shouted towards the front, and the ground underneath them began to vibrate as the helicopter kicked into high gear, the propellers whirling outside and lifting them skyward within seconds, leaving behind the carnage at Shintoko Third Elementary. After a few minutes, they were at a comfortable height, and Shido felt his stomach unclench as the vehicle began its trip to their destination. Now that things were a touch more orderly he straightened out his jacket and made his way to the cockpit to talk to whomever was in charge._

_Suddenly the entire helicopter rocked, nearly throwing Shido face-first into the lap of a ganjuro girl strapped in the aisle across from him before he could steady himself. Angrily he stomped up to the front, using the ceiling to hold himself steady._

_"What the devil is going on?" he demanded._

_Another hard shake of the helicopter nearly knocked him off his feet again, but he managed to hold steady as he saw the pilot and another man by his side arguing back and forth. A loud beeping was coming from the console, and a number of red lights were flashing. Shido wasn't an expert on aeronautical vehicles by any stretch of the imagination, but you didn't have to be a genius to tell something bad was happening._

_"-hadn't finished refueling!" replied the pilot, holding the controls in his hands._

_"But we could make it back to Yokota on half a tank!"_

_"We should've, but we're too heavy...! We're out, damnit!"_

_"What are you talking about?" shouted Shido. "Whose in charge here?"_

_"Sit down sir! Pilot, there! Can we make it to that stadium?"_

_Suddenly there was a crash and a bang up above, and Shido glanced out one of the windows, seeing the rotors of the helicopter starting to slow down._

_"You imbeciles, that-!"_

_"Sir, SIT DOWN!" shouted the other man, pushing Shido back, even as the helicopter began to dip dangerously._

_The pilot pulled hard on the controls, as if hoping that would stop their sudden descent. "Hold on to something!"_

_The ground rushed up to meet them as Shido all but flung himself out of the cockpit and onto the floor of the cabin, hands clutched above his head. The last thing he heard was a high-pitched voice screaming horrifically "I don't want to die!"_

* * *

_I don't want to die!_

_... Die...!_

_... Die...!_

Shaking away the unpleasant memories, Shido again smiled over at Rei. "Obviously we survived. Most of us, at least, and we did have more than a few who were injured. But as you can see, we've managed quite well for ourselves here."

"You seem to have done rather well," Rei replied, not as wholly repulsed by his tale as she thought she'd be. After all, she'd done her fair share of things she hadn't been proud of during the last month as well.

"Once we barricaded the entrances and got supplies off of the helicopter, this turned out to be quite the little paradise."

_A paradise of decadence and moral corruption_, she almost said aloud, but realized she'd be on flimsy ground. Especially when trying to argue morals with someone like Koichi Shido. "But why all the pomp and ceremony? Brother this and Sister that an-"

"It's what the people need," he replied quickly, slipping to his feet, arms outstretched. "In a world of darkness and fear, people want to be assured they're not alone. They want to be a family. They want to feel their life still has meaning. And above all else, they want to be happy and safe."

She found herself nodding and realized she was starting to agree with him. "It must be hard to do both of those," she said neutrally, well aware of the sort of strain leadership placed on Takashi Komuro.

"It is also very rewarding. Which brings me to why I really asked you to come here, Miyamoto-san. When I learned you'd been brought into the sanctuary, it seemed... like destiny was giving me a chance to right wrongs of the past."

She frowned skeptically. "Meaning what?"

"Do you remember the last time we met? Back at the Takagi estate?"

"Yes," she replied hesitantly, still a little perplexed.

"You threatened to kill me," he said pointedly. "Then, to add insult atop of injury, you spared my life. Out of pity."

That part she remembered perfectly. But it wasn't entirely the truth. She'd spared Koichi Shido because Takashi and the others had been watching, and she couldn't bear the idea of him looking at her like a murderer.

"And I thought long and hard on what you said. That I wasn't even _worth_ killing. Not even worth your time, in fact. And you know what conclusion I came to? What epiphany I reached?"

Rei cringed, one hundred percent positive she didn't want to know. She braced herself.

"... you were right."

Blinking ruby eyes, Rei looked up in surprise, making sure she heard Shido correctly. "What?"

"You were right. I was... _weak_," he whispered the word, like it left a bad taste in his mouth. "I knew full well my father was corrupt, he was a monster. He drove my mother to an early grave, and when he asked me to harm you to get back at your own father... I caved. I always did, with him. I was weak... and my weakness caused you harm. It made you an object of ridicule and scorn amongst your peers. Isn't that so?"

She clenched her jaw, refusing to answer, but her expression spoke volumes as memories came flooding back to her of the last year in school.

_Of course it was true, you bastard_!

"Which pales, somewhat, with wanting to have me murdered in cold blood, I think," he remarked pointedly. "But here, things are different. I've saved everyone here. They're safe in the sanctuary, under the Kurotaiyou. They're safe, and they're happy," he declared, the tone of his voice brooking no arguments. "And when others give into despair and guilt over what they have seen or done, I lift their spirits and forgive their sins. And make them whole again."

_Wholly empty, maybe_, she thought. Aloud, she said, "How very noble of you."

He smiled indulgently. "I can see you don't _quite_ believe me."

"You make it sound like you're some sort of saint."

"But I don't claim to be a saint. I'm just trying to help these people. I want them to be whole again. And safe. And above all else, happy."

He stood up, and made his way around the desk, coming over towards her. Rei tensed, not wanting him any closer, but resisted the urge to show as much by leaping out of her seat. Instead she sat very, very still.

"Even you, Miyamoto-san. And so... I forgive you. You threatened to kill me and then called me worthless. But I absolve you of your sin. You were very angry with me... and you probably have every right to be. What I want is a chance to make amends. I wronged you... I won't stand here and lie. But I did so at the behest of my father, and he is dead now. As is yours. Let any animosity they had between them die with them. We have a chance to begin anew. Miyamoto-san... Rei..." he murmured, his voice pitching a little lower. "I just want to be friends. I want a chance to wash your sins away like I've done for all these people. Is that really so much to ask?"

She stared, dumbfounded, but found she had no response.

But maybe he wasn't expecting one, for he suddenly switched again. "Think on it," he declared, and almost as if on cue, there was a knock at the door. "Ah, that must be Komuro-kun. I'll see you later then. Take care now, and please, know you can come to me with simply anything you need... Rei..."

There it was, that use of her personal name again. A chill ran down her spine. She wanted to run out of the room and into Takashi's safe embrace. Then take a hot shower and wash off all the ickiness on her skin.

But instead, she simply stood, offered a polite bow, and stepped out of his office.

And Koichi Shido just smiled as she exited the room and closed the door behind her. Leaving him alone in the shadows, which stretched and wrapped around him, making his cheerful smile look like a demented grin. His yellow eyes seemed to glow in the darkness as he gazed up at the ceiling. The aftermath of their talk had left him feeling joyous. Not quite as good as his nightly visit from Sister Yuuki, but still very pleasant. He was right. This was the solution to _his_ problem. _His_ means of atonement. Oh how he had suffered, wracked by guilt, tormented by frustration. And now, the one critical component, the one thing he'd needed... had emerged from the wastelands and come to him like an Angel descending from Heaven itself.

It was Fate. It had to be.

* * *

"He's insane."

Rei was confiding her experiences to the others in the safety of their tent. Light's out had occurred an hour or so ago, but thanks to the thick green walls of the tents, anyone was allowed a flashlight inside as long as all the lanterns outside were out. Alice was holding onto it as they conferred with one another in quiet whispers.

Naturally, the first topic had been the identity of the Kurotaiyou's leader, and Rei's subsequent analysis of her encounter with him.

"He's completely and utterly insane," she went on. "Thinks he's saving people's souls by letting them give into this mindless debauchery. Just to make them feel better. And they all but worship the ground he walks on because he lets them do whatever they want."

"It's brainwashing," Saya said. "Plain and simple."

"Well, like it or not he's in charge here," Takashi added darkly. "And Kohta is still in isolation. He's not being mistreated," he went on quickly, seeing Saya's face darken. "But they won't let him out without Shido's okay."

Saya turned on Rei so quickly the other girl took a step back.

"Any chance of that?"

The ginger-haired girl hesitated, then replied "I don't know. I couldn't read him too well. One minute he's talking about fate, the next he switches and talks about helping people become happy. Kept talking about washing away people's sins, like he did it himself with soap and water."

"So why'd he call up for you, specifically?" asked Saeko.

"Because of when I threatened him back at Takagi's home," Rei replied. "He seems... fixated on it. He keeps saying he wants to forgive me for what I did. And keeps saying he's sorry for what led to it."

She gave an indelicate snort.

"As if," she muttered, puzzling Shizuka.

"I thought you said you felt sorry for him?" asked the nurse.

"I said he wasn't worth killing, Shizuka-sensei. There's a difference. I still don't forgive him for what he did to me. And I never will."

Takashi considered that thoughtfully for a moment. "Maybe he realizes that," he said after a moment's thought. "Maybe he knows what he did was wrong. You said he keeps trying to help wash away other people's sins. But it doesn't look like he can deal with his own. They're eating at him."

Saya's eyes widened in realization. "That's why he's fixated on you," she whispered aloud in realization. Rei blinked in surprise.

"Huh?"

"Don't be dense!" she hissed. "Koichi Shido has these mindless sheep eating out of his hands. He could ask for forgiveness from any one of them and he'd get it in a heartbeat. He could pour out his sob story and they'd swallow it hook line and sinker. But instead, what does he do? He's asking Rei for it. Because he knows, deep down, he really did something bad. He knows, and he needs you to make it right. To justify his actions."

"Which I won't," Rei replied darkly, arms folded across her chest.

"Don't tell him that," Takashi said quickly. Then, seeing her put him in the crosshairs of her anger, quickly backtracked. "We're in the middle of their fortress with lots of trigger-happy, gun-toting Brothers and Sisters all around us. Doesn't matter if he tells them to kill us, feed us to the 'Revenants', or drink their Kool-Aid. They'll do it in a heartbeat if he says so. I say we keep on his good side for now."

"Agreed," added Saya. "Until we get Kohta and get out of here."

"How can we do that?" asked Takashi.

"We shouldn't make a move too soon," said Rei. "He'll suspect something."

"Then for now, everyone keep their heads low and their eyes peeled. Anything we can use is important here. And nobody go anywhere alone. Especially you two," he added, indicating the younger children. Alice gave a salute and Saito nodded.

Rei hesitated at that instruction. "Takashi, you know Shido won't like that He all but threw you out of his office earlier."

He grimaced, rubbing a hand through his unruly black locks, but ultimately exhaled a deep breath and nodded. "Alright. But be careful," he emphasized. "At least let one of us know where you're going, and how long. If you're not back we can go looking for you."

"That's reasonable," she replied, having no desire to be alone with Shido but recognizing it as a necessary evil. "Let's hope he sees it the same way."

Saya, giving a frustrated sigh, wrung out her pink pigtails. Ideas were buzzing around in her head but even she recognized there was nothing more they could do tonight. She was tired and cranky. And so she announced she was calling an end to this meeting and turning in. Everyone else followed suit, laying down in military sleeping bags and curling up close for warmth. Darkness descended on them as Alice's flashlight winked out.

* * *

The next morning began rather oddly.

First to rise, Saya had slipped out of the tent to discover something had been left there sometime during the night, a pile of silken cloth with Miyamoto's name written on a note left atop of it. Handing it to its recipient, Rei unfolded the cloth inside the tent to reveal itself as a beautiful silk kimono of the most exquisite silk, in the shade of peaches and sunsets. It looked like something she might see displayed in a museum like the one they'd visited not so long ago, and idly she wondered where it had originally come from.

It didn't take her long to realize how it had come to her, however. Koichi Shido. It must've been a gift, his idea of trying to win over her 'forgiveness.' She shuddered at the thought, but, as always, she reminded herself this was a necessary evil. And, if she could forget who had given her gift, she could admit to herself it did look very nice.

Ultimately she gave in, and slipped off her skirt and blazer, leaving her white blouse on underneath as she wrapped the kimono around her frame. An obi of a darker, muted red was included and this she managed to wrap around her waist with some assistance from Saeko and Shizuka. Considering who the gift was from, Rei made sure to ask them to tie it behind her, instead of in front.

"You look rather nice," said the latter as she brushed Rei's hair, leaving it down instead of her customary ponytail.

"I feel a little silly," Rei replied. "Like I'm playing dress-up."

"Nonsense," intoned Saeko. "You look like a perfect little lady. I'm almost jealous."

"Almost?"

Saeko brushed a hand over the peach-colored sleeve. "Not my color."

Rei blinked at her serious tone and expression, before the Busujima swordswoman smirked, revealing she was largely kidding. Tiny snickers turned into full-fledged laughter, as the gathered girls shared in some good humor. It felt good to laugh again, as they'd had precious little to laugh over the past few days.

A final adjustment to the obi and Rei was set. "Just be careful not to commit yourself to anything unknowingly," Saeko added as Shizuka finished brushing her hair. "Remember, these gifts come with a price."

"I know, but for now... I guess there are some fringe benefits to this," the ginger-haired girl declared, giving a spin on her heel and a curtsey to display her new outfit.

But Rei wasn't terribly surprised when, only a short while later, a messenger came by saying she was being requested by Koichi Shido. Saeko brushed past Rei as she departed, but before she left the tent, the taller girl stopped to press something into Rei's hand, slipping it deftly out of sight behind the flowing sleeve of her kimono.

These things may yet come with a price, Saeko thought as she watched her battle sister depart. But it was not necessarily Rei who would pay it.

* * *

Sticking to their rule about keeping together, Saya and Takashi formed a team to take charge today and get some answers, leaving nurse Shizuka and the little kids under the watchful eye of Saeko. Their intent was simple. A thorough look at the Kurotaiyou compound, hierarchy, and customs. With intent to find a weak point they could exploit, and being very, very subtle about their intent.

They needn't have bothered.

Everyone they spoke to was more than willing to answer questions about the Kurotaiyou. With no trouble they found the parking lot and the vehicles therein, though it was heavily guarded by a trio of crusaders. Of more interest to Saya was when a subtle inquiry about the Revenants led them to a visit to the basement. Six or seven were kept at any given time, chained up by the neck and with bags over their heads in what was previously the generator room of the stadium. With no more power being generated, thanks to the EMP, it was a perfect little useless niche that they could be safely locked up. A guard was also stationed here, but more so to keep the Revenants in than anyone out.

The armory was harder to find, but a little investigating showed the Crusaders kept two men positioned by a gift shop at the front of the stadium at all times. It didn't take a genius to imagine they were hiding some of the stolen weapons in the back rooms or under the counters. After all, Takashi and Kohta had pulled a similar trick back at the mall.

After a wide circuit around the rim of the stadium, Takashi and Saya took seats in the stands to confer about what they'd learned, well out of earshot of everyone. They'd procured some burgers from down below for their lunch, though the cook had thoroughly charred them to a blackened mess, and they were sitting uneaten beside them on a pair of plates.

"So, ideas?"

She adjusted her glasses before replying. "Two. One, we have a lot of objectives and they're pretty well spaced out. That means in order to achieve them all we need to either split up and do them all at once, or cause a big distraction to move the Crusaders away from them. Or both, ideally."

"Objectives being..." he popped a can of soda in his hand.

"Rescue Kohta, recover our weapons, and get out," she replied, ticking them off her fingers as she counted. "Three objectives. For five of us, plus two kids, against however many Shido has here."

"And the other idea?" he asked, taking a swig of his drink.

"Not to get killed in the process," she replied dryly.

He grimaced at that, but gave a weary nod. _Sometimes_, he mused, _it really would be just easier if we just stopped, rolled over, and played dead_. Idly his mind conjured an image of Zeke doing exactly that. It was just so wearisome, always on the move, always running, always fighting. And truth be told, he was tired of running and fighting. But he wasn't tired of living, not yet.

"Alright, then let's talk logistics."

"If we get the weapons first we can use them to force our way to rescue Kohta and get out of here," she replied. "Kill anyone who tries to stop us."

He shook his head at that. "I'd rather not have to kill more than we have to, let's shelve that idea for now."

"We're going to have to-"

"I'm not saying we won't kill if they try to stop us," he clarified quickly. "I'm just saying we don't need to go out of our way to wipe them all out. Look at them," he added, a sweep of his hand encompassing the field below. The tents, the survivors, their struggles and trials. "Most of these people won't survive out there without guidance, they're... they're sheep. They're not like us. Now I'm not saying I won't kill them if it means keeping you or the others safe. But let's not try to go on a senseless bloodbath either."

Surprisingly, Saya acquiesced without too much of a fight. "Fine."

"A distraction would work best," he mused aloud, taking another sip. Possibilities were already starting to form, pieces fall into place. "Hmmmm..."

* * *

A self-contained environment was difficult to produce under normal circumstances, and the paradise envisioned by Koichi Shido was no exception.

Shido's people did not produce their own food. They did not plant and grow rice and corn and tomatoes, nor did they herd cows and chickens and sheep. Instead, they stole and raided from nearby stores, transporting it back here on a single working bus they'd managed to repair the engine too. Each trip brought produce and clothes and virtually anything else they wanted or needed. More than one trip was accompanied by a side mission by its occupants to grab whatever they wanted, including superficial things like jewelry and sometimes even money, despite its near complete lack of value.

Today was no exception.

Two of the Crusaders on the latest trip were examining their personal haul while Brother Kensui was overseeing the distribution of food, clothing, and medical supplies to those in need and proper storage areas.

"What's this?" asked one, picking up a strange black object and holding it in his hand.

"Careful you idiot, that's a camera."

"I can see it's a camera," replied the first. "What the heck did you get that for?"

"I picked it out to take pictures. I figured maybe next Ceremony I can ask Sister Yuuki to pose. Charge people five bucks a photo."

"You dumbass where're you going to develop them film, its not like the stores are still open!"

"Shut up! I'm not stupid, the box says its instant development. It's a Fujifilm Instax 210. You snap a shot then it makes it right here for you. I'm not a moron you know."

"You are most of the time," his comrade argued.

"For that I'm charging you double," replied the first one, setting his camera down.

"Think she'll go for it?"

"Oh come on Sister Yuuki's into lots of weird stuff. I'm sure she'll love it."

"Psch, whatever... hey where'd it go?"

"Huh? It was right there..."

From his hiding spot around the side of the parked bus, a shadow detached itself and slipped off towards the field again. The two Brothers continued to argue over the loss property, not realizing it had been deftly slipped out of their grasp by a newly interested party. As the shadow stepped back into the field, the darkness retreated to reveal navy blue bangs and bright green eyes, as Saito inspected his newfound possession with a keen, curious eye.

The sound of laughter caught his attention, and he turned to see Alice running across the field, waving a small stick in her hand. Little Zeke was darting around her legs, giving off the occasional bark as he pursued her as fast as his tiny little legs could carry him. On occasion she'd stop, lift up her arm, and throw the stick as far as she could. And then Zeke was off like a shot, bringing it back mere moments later... only to have her repeat the process all over again. Shizuka was sitting nearby on the second base canvas bag. Ostensibly keeping an eye on her, but seemed to be daydreaming, which explained how she missed Saito's coming and going.

He lifted a hand and waved to catch her attention, and Alice turned to look as Zeke came running back with the stick again. She smiled brightly, showing perfectly white teeth.

Flash.

The camera went off, and in seconds, Saito tugged the top up and drew the automatically developed picture out, offering the newly captured picture to Alice, who took it gratefully.

* * *

Two very long days passed, with agonizing slowness. They each went through the motions during the day, eating their meals, working alongside the other Brothers and Sisters, putting up false smiles and making it seem as if they had integrated into the Kurotaiyou. In some cases it wasn't so hard, most of the real people there were relatively kind, if dazed and listless. But you didn't have to look far to see a gun-toting Crusader, or any other myriad signs of cruelty and apathy. They were painted across the entire sanctuary in bold, dark strokes.

When night fell, they continued to plan, and to plot. Saya or Takashi made regular visits to see Kohta, keeping him in the loop about their plans and cautioning him to be ready when the time came. And so they prepared for the day to come when they could leave.

And today was that day.

* * *

It had rained the previous night, but it had tapered off and come to a cool drizzle before morning had come, then vanished entirely. The air was thick with moisture, making it a little warmer than usual. Unfortunately it also meant more than a few puddles of water had accumulated all over the stadium from cracks in the old walls and no one to clean them up. It was good fortune the ballpark below the stands hadn't flooded. It forced Rei Miyamoto to be careful where she stepped as she walked around the stadium to her destination. Rather than wait for the latest sycophantic messenger to come for her, today Rei was making her way to see Koichi Shido herself, strolling along the corridor with the grace and elegance of a queen. She'd awoken early to shower and looked fresh and radiant in her kimono. The single solitary guard outside of Shido's office nearly let his jaw hit the ground when he first caught sight of her.

"It's Miyamoto-san, isn't it?" he asked after his brain had finally restarted and he'd managed to pull himself together. She couldn't quite recall his name, but Rei had seen this guard outside of Shido's office before. He was a regular in this position. It was impossible to forget that distinct yellow shirt under his black jacket.

"I'm here to see Shido-sama for breakfast," she said in a cool tone of voice, doing her best to imitate the smooth talk of Saeko.

"Uh, well... he kinda left instructions not to be disturbed," he replied.

"Please, if you would just let him know I'm here?"

"I really don't think-"

"Pretty please?" she asked, being careful not to let _too_ much honey slip into her words. Just enough to seem genuine.

The guard grimaced but reared back a hand and pounded on the door four times, cringing after the last knock as he dropped to one knee before the door. Rei took the opportunity of his distraction to double check and make sure the metal chopstick was positioned properly in the folds of her kimono so as not to be noticed. She wasn't going to use it to attack Shido, but if he gave her trouble, it would hopefully buy her enough time to get away from him. Jam it into his knee or eye and he wouldn't give her a second thought.

But that was the worst case scenario.

The door all but exploded outwards after a moment, Shido's face contorted in fury as he immediately launched into a tongue-lashing.

"How dare you distur-...! Oh! Miyamoto-san. Good morning," he said, smoothing a hand through his slick black hair, his mood instantly switching gears. "I wasn't expecting you so early."

She dipped into a practiced curtsey. "I had some thoughts last night that I wanted to speak to you about, and thought we could do so over breakfast... if that's alright, I mean."

"Yes, yes, of course, just... give me a moment to straighten up in here I was, ah..."

Rei caught a glimpse of red, and somewhat sheepishly, another figure stepped into the light. Yuuki Miku, dressed in the same fashion some of the other Sisters had adopted, the black hakama miko outfit, left loose in the front. Her gaze flicked every which way, not meeting Rei's. Or Shido's.

"P-providing comfort for Sister Yuuki here," Shido went on, stammering nervously. "S-she's had such a horrible time of it lately. Losing her boyfriend and everything, I… I must take care of her, as the leader of this community it's my sworn duty..."

He was babbling by now, and Rei was starting to feel ill as she realized exactly how Shido had been comforting the girl almost a decade his junior. Most telling of all were the fact that his pants weren't fully zipped up in the front. Obviously he'd been in a hurry.

Stifling her disgust, Rei allowed herself to be led into the office, deftly sidestepping to avoid Shido laying a hand on her shoulder to guide her. The past few days had given her plenty of time to recognize (and build up a small tolerance for) his disgusting, lecherous habits. She did, however, pause in the doorway as Yuuki slipped past her to leave.

"Oh, Yuuki-san?"

The redhead turned, blinking at the ginger in confusion. Rei smirked somewhat vindictively, almost evilly, as she tapped the corner of her lips.

"You've got some drool here," was all she said, before the door shut in Yuuki's face.

* * *

True to the suspicions of Takashi and Saya, the gift shop was indeed the location where Shido had instructed his Crusaders to hide the weapons not in use. The armor of sorts, always protected. Today's shift being handled by the Crusaders Richard and Dexter, who were both very, very bored. There were only so many times you could take a look at baseball cards, after all. The two of them were near identical, jeans and coats and baseball caps, differing only in the color of their shirts.

"Hey Dex?" asked Richard. He was a reasonably tall man with a dark maroon shirt.

"Yeah?" replied his more pudgy counterpart, in a deep orange shirt, idly gazing off into space.

"You ever wonder why we're here?"

"It's one of life's great mysteries, isn't it? Why are we here?"

"No I mean here guarding this door, idiot," grumbled Richard. "I mean I have the keys, it's not like just anyone can stroll up and open the door."

"Oh that. Well yeah, duh. Besides nobody even knows the weapons are here. It's just a little shop far as they all know."

"Exactly my point. In fact, you'd almost swear that by our very being here, we're announcing to one and all this place is a-..."

Dex glanced up. "A what?"

Rich didn't reply, and after a second, pitched forward, unconscious. Behind him arose a specter of Death, a dark-haired woman with icy blue eyes, with an expression so terrifying that Dex took a step back, fumbling for his weapon. Giving ample time for his own assailant, a pink-haired girl a head shorter than him to punch him square in the back of the head. He joined his partner, knocked out on the ground.

"Bakas," Saya muttered, massaging her knuckles. That punch had hurt. The lunkhead probably had an extra-thick skull.

Saeko knelt down by the side of the maroon one, tugging the keys from his pocket and unlocking the gift store. She and Saya then dragged the two guards inside and lay them down beside the counter, well out of sight. They didn't want to risk being spotted too early, though of course someone could walk by and just look in the display windows to spot them. So they had to move quickly.

Finding their own weapons were easy, they'd be put into one of the changing rooms in back. Rei's naginata, Saeko's katana, Saya's wakizashi, Takashi's kanabo, all accounted for. Even Kohta's combat knife. They also found more than a few shotguns, rifles, and pistols of various makes and calibers.

"We could take all of this," murmured Saeko, hand brushing lovingly over a IMS Desert Eagle, before abruptly snatching her hand back as if stung.

"Just what we need," said Saya, shouldering a M-16 rifle for Kohta. Seeing the wisdom of her argument, Saeko gathered up the other's weapons in her arms, carrying them somewhat awkwardly as she stepped out of the store.

"We should move quickly. Shizuka and the children will be-"

Thud.

Saeko gave a weak cry and stumbled forward, falling on her face as something hard impacted against the back of her neck. The gathered weapons scattered as she hit hard, and Saya looked up in surprise to see a familiar pale face and very distinct cerulean eyes. A young man in a black school uniform standing there, holding out his still sheathed sword. He'd hit Saeko with the scabbard, which must've been hard enough to knock her out.

"And just where do you think you're going, Saeko-chan?" he asked lightly, sliding his sword from its sheath. The other one remained sheathed on his back, but he didn't look like he needed it. "And who's your little friend? She's cute. I wonder if she knows how to use that little sword she's carrying."

Saya fumed at his condescending tone, fumbling with the wakizashi in her hands and yanking it out of its sheath, spreading her legs in a stance and readying herself for him. She wished she'd grabbed up one of those pistols now, a bullet between his eyes would've wiped that ugly smirk off his face. But she didn't dare turn her back on him now to grab one.

"You'd do well to surrender, jou-chan," he said, drawing his other sword with a deft motion and assuming a combat stance of his own.

_Don't focus on the wielder, focus on the blade, that's the part that will kill you_, she repeated to herself, remembering the mantra Saeko had tried to instruct her with. They hadn't shared many lessons together, but Saya had a perfect recall, and was a quick learner. She was a genius, after all. While this guy looked like he knew swords and little else. _Hmmm, maybe that's a weakness I can exploit_, she thought.

"Why're you doing this? You must be smart enough to realize what's going on here. This is madness."

"It's not madness. Its power!" he exclaimed, feinting with his front sword. She parried the attack, but he'd meant as much. He was testing her skill level with some easy jabs, not really putting much effort into it. "Surely you can believe that, with such evidence all around you. The weak will die, and the strong will live."

"That's a load of bull if I ever heard any," said Saya, countering his next attack easily and responding with one of her own, "Don't try to force feed me that crap they've fed you in their little drugged out orgies they call ceremonies. You're just as deluded as Shido-sensei is."

"Oh don't fool yourself. I recognize what a misguided, self-absorbed fool he is. But that's the best part. Shido takes all the responsibility, the leadership, the organizing. I, on the other hand, enjoy the power. They respect him, but it's _me_ they _fear_."

"Is it?" she asked mildly.

He countered with an almost easy flick of his wrist. But she saw his gaze waver, and realized she must've struck home. He wasn't so sure of himself anymore.

"I'll show you the truth. You will see the Light of the Kurotaiyou," intoned Kensui with an almost maniacal zeal, tilting his katana in his grip. In doing so, coincidently or not, catching a passing beam of light and reflecting it towards Saya. Despite that, however, she stubbornly ignored instinct to shut her eyes, and instead focused on his face. She'd learned enough from Saeko not to take her eyes off of her enemy.

"It's always struck me as the case that, people try their hardest to convince others of their faith because they're really just trying to convince themselves. So where does that leave you, Osashubi-san?"

The young man gave a wordless cry as he increased the ferocity of his attacks, now utilizing the second sword in his other hand. The twin attacks came from a multitude of directions, forcing Saya to duck, dodge, and keep falling back as she blocked with her own shorter sword, trying to hold him off.

Her next block, however, was too high, and he swept in with a kick that caught her full in the stomach, knocking her on her butt. Her wakizashi clattered to the ground just out of reach, and he stepped on it with his foot, pointing the tip of his sword at her.

Saya glared up at him, golden eyes flashing behind her glasses, silently daring him to do his worst.

His blade flashed upwards...

* * *

Unaware of the dangers and trials his teammates were going through, Takashi Komuro strolled casually along the outer ring of the stadium's upper level, making his way casually towards the suite where Kohta was being held prisoner. Hands in his pockets, resisting the urge to whistle nonchalantly (as he feared it may have been over the top) he made his way towards the two guards standing watch over his friend. Brother Hide and a dark-haired man in a pair of military fatigues and a black shirt. If he read them correctly, they were just doing the change over, and as he watched, Hide took his seat by the door, propping his rifle up against the wall beside him, and began to read from some magazine.

And not for the articles, Takashi noted. Not if the cover was any indication.

"Brother Hide?" he called out respectfully, as soon as the other one was out of hearing.

The black-haired boy glanced up in annoyance at the interruption. "Whadda you want?"

"I'm here to see the prisoner. Your leader gave permission."

He frowned. "I don't remember hearing anything about tha-"

"It came up suddenly," Takashi replied quickly. Thinking fast, he grabbed on something he could use. Something believable. "He thinks Kohta might be ready to come out today, and I'm relaying his terms."

Hide frowned at that, and Takashi realized he might've blundered. Of course, he hadn't heard the conversation between Hide and Shido after his initial visit. Shido had outlined, very clearly, exactly how he wanted the pudgy troublemaker to be dealt with. Minimum of rations, no unannounced visitations, and no beatings. The last thing they wanted was for Rei to think he was being mistreated, though that was how they usually handled short term prisoners, those who were set straight within a week. Anyone who lasted much longer than that was fed to a Revenant.

But Shido had made it abundantly clear that Kohta was not going to be set free any time before Hell itself froze solid to the core. To have suddenly changed his mind so drastically did not sound like the leader Hide knew at all.

"I'll have to ask our leader first," he said as he stood, reaching for a bell hanging by the door. "Just wait here while I summon some relief."

Something told him he'd picked the wrong plan to go with, and before Brother Hikaku Murayama could reach the bell, Takashi moved in quick to his side and tried to slug him across the face and knock him out. However, never having actually punched someone out before, he miscalculated his aim, and it grazed across the shorter boy's jaw. It still knocked him back, but it didn't knock him out.

"You bastard!" spat Hide as he threw a punch of his own, hitting Takashi in the chest. His ribcage protected him from serious injury, but it still hurt. He retaliated in kind.

Within seconds the two of them had degraded from a polite conversation into an all-out brawl.

* * *

Tonight there was no ceremonies scheduled, even Koichi Shido must've recognized permitting his followers endless debauchery would only make them useless at more mundane tasks like maintaining the guard and procuring new converts and supplies. This meant, however, it was unusual for someone to show up to the room where ceremonies took place. A single solitary guard was keeping watch when Shizuka Marikawa strolled up to him and asked to be let inside.

"Why? There's no ceremonies tonight," he replied.

"Oh it's not that. I know someone whose sick you see, and I understand there is some medicine in here. I wanted to take a look, if that's alright with you."

He blinked in surprise, making only the slightest effort to conceal he wasn't ogling her. _Although she did look just a bit heavier than before_, he thought. "Uhm, well sure... that sounds entirely reasonable. Head on in. I have to stay out here though, in case someone comes by. So don't take long."

Thanking the boy with a chaste peck on the cheek, Shizuka slipped into the room and made her way immediately to the far end, grabbing up the bags of hydrangea paniculata in her hands. Glancing at the door to make sure she wasn't being watched, she deftly slipped a thin pillow out from underneath her jacket, then replaced it with the herbs. Saya's idea. Shizuka had suggested hiding the leaves in her cleavage but they'd vetoed the idea on account of it sounding stupid, and suggested this instead. She slipped only a few of the leaves into her hand to show the guard, otherwise it would look suspicious.

"And you think this'll help your friend?" asked the guard as he examined the small brownish leaves in her hand.

"Oh yes," she replied. "See basically she's suffering from a form of mitochondria, and this creates cyanide ion, which will halt cellular respiration..."

His eyes glazed over halfway through her explanation, and she smiled, somewhat pleased with herself. She's actually switched up medical terms, since hydrangea paniculata in high doses tended to _induce_ cyanide poisoning, not cure it. Frankly, they were lucky they hadn't all poisoned themselves a long time ago. This particular batch must have been strongly diluted.

"So, anyway, thank you!" she said abruptly, spun on her heel, and took off at a pace just short of jogging. By the time he woke up from her medical lecture and moved as if to call her back, she was well out of hearing range.

_On to phase two_, she thought.

Phase two was the tricky part, and required she do it during breakfast time, when most of the people were cooking their food in small controlled fires in the ballpark part of the stadium. The idea was to add just a small sprinkling of the herb and let people feel its effects. With everyone suffering hallucinations, order was bound to be disrupted, guards would be called in to restore it and leave them ample time to slip away before they all recovered.

Shizuka moved quiet as a door mouse into the field. She was already wearing a mask over her lower face to cover her nose and mouth. If she was asked about it, she planned to put forward a fake cough and say she was ill, and didn't want to spread it around. Thankfully, most of those she talked to seemed to have already guessed this story without even asking her. That or they didn't even care, which was saddening.

_They've all become so self-focused they're blind to anything else_, she realized.

As deftly as she could, Shizuka slipped from campfire to campfire, adding a few of the leaves to each one and moving on quickly before anyone noticed. She was working on the last of it now at a barrel-fire being used to provide warmth. Its owner had stepped away for the moment and she'd prepared to add the last of her herbs to it for fuel, then bid a hasty retreat to find Saito and Alice. And Zeke.

Up until the short, dark-haired Brother had come across her.

"Hey, what're you doing?"

Shizuka gave a most undignified yelp and fumbled the bag in her hands, knocking it and barrel both over. The former caught fire in the latter as it began to slowly spread across the damp grass. Realizing she was caught, Shizuka fled as fast as her long, shapely legs could carry her.

"Hey! Wait! Stop right there!" shouted the dark-haired boy, giving chase. "Someone stop her!"

The air began to fill with a heavy mist as the hydrangea paniculata burned, and it wasn't long before euphoria began to settle over the inhabitants of the stadium.

The madness came more slowly.

* * *

Long before today had come, the matter of the children had to be considered. Saito and Alice were barely eight and seven, respectively, and no one liked the idea of leaving them on their own. Especially in this forsaken paradise run by the Kurotaiyou. However, their plan required a lot of careful maneuvering and they'd needed the bodies to undertake this simple but critical task. Taking their things out of the tent shortly before their other schemes began and waiting with them at the main exit. They would be somewhat hidden within a ramp leading to the field, with no one to watch over them but little Zeke. The others would rally there once their various tasks were complete, but until then, the two kids would be on their own.

Takashi had taken aside both of them to explain the night before. "We're placing a lot of trust in you two," he said. "But more important than anything else, want you to stay alive. Anything else that happens is second. If you get lost we _will_ find you. If we lose our things we'll replace them. But we can't replace you two. Understood?"

Saito had nodded firmly and Alice gave a strong 'yep!' in response.

Now they were hiding in an alcove not ten feet away from the main exit, which was still barricaded. Neither of them had the strength to shift the various furniture and other parts of the barricade down, most especially not without creating a major ruckus, so they had to wait for now.

"Hey, you kids!"

Three sets of eyes, one brown, one purple, and one green, snapped up as one of the Crusaders came around the corner, making his way towards them. A fair-sized boy with an iron pipe resting easily over his shoulder and a very bright yellow t-shirt.

"Come on now, you kids know you're not supposed to be here... I'm thinking maybe you should all come with me."

Zeke gave a low growl as he got closer.

* * *

Shido walked alongside Rei as they travelled to the uppermost level of the stadium's viewing stands, with a virtual bird's eye view of the entire ballpark. Below, the countless survivors scurried around like ants as they rose for the new day, and he felt some of his tension ease, relaxing as he engaged Rei in casual conversation.

"I trust breakfast was suitable," he said.

"Mhm," Rei replied. "It was alright."

"So what is it you wanted to talk about? Did something happen?"

She hesitated, playing with the edge of her silken sleeve. "Sort of," she replied after a moment's thought. "I thought a lot about what you said, actually. About how you'd done a lot of horrible things but you were sorry for them."

He nodded, listening carefully.

"And I realized I wasn't being fair. You've done some horrible things but... so have I. I mean, we all have, but I... I had to kill my own father," she whispered softly, allowing some very real pain to creep into her voice. She hadn't even realized it herself, but she'd still never completely gotten over the fact. She'd just pushed the pain deep down into her heart and shouldered on, for the sake of Takashi and the others. Until she'd gone numb and almost, sort of, forgotten it.

The fact that it was Koichi Shido she was bearing her soul to made her more than a little bit ill, but this was necessary for the plan to work.

"Your father? The police officer?"

She nodded, not trusting her voice.

"I had wondered why he was not travelling with his only daughter," Shido intoned. "Unlike the relationship with my own father, it was evident that he cared for you. And you for him. You have my most profound sympathies."

She nodded listlessly, slumping into one of the stadium's seats.

"And because of that, well... I've had trouble sleeping. Please don't tell the others, they don't know but... sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and I remember..."

He gently patted her shoulder. He could feel her trembling underneath his touch. "Rei, I know you are likely more willing to put your trust into the likes of Busujima-san, or maybe Komuro-kun. But if you want to seek out the wisdom of an adult, you know you can come and talk to me about anything that troubles you."

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she said simply, "Well its partly why I wanted to come back and see you today."

"Ahh," he nodded in understanding, his ego no doubt swelling.

"Although I am sorry I dropped by so early," she said coolly.

His ego deflated like a balloon in seconds. "Oh, n-no trouble at all," he said, hoping his voice wasn't shaking as badly as he feared it was.

It wasn't something he had been keen for Rei to find out. Or anyone, for that matter. His secret trysts with Yuuki were, to the best of his knowledge, known only to him and to his head Crusaders. It would not do for the majority of his followers to see him as human, to know he had needs like any other man. Better to think him better than that. An incorruptible savior of souls.

Sister Yuuki was a delight, of course. She did things with her tongue that could make him forget his own name for a while. But outside of that, she was as good at carrying on a conversation as a potted plant. She gave him no challenge, no drive. She fulfilled his physical needs and relieved his stress but did nothing to fill the emptiness within him. Only Rei Miyamoto could do that. She also had an excellent figure, now very nicely displayed in her kimono, but he kept any perverse thoughts to the confines of his own head for now, keeping his compliments civil. Difficult to do when all she did was insist upon talking about her menial friends, but he indulged her, and did his best to keep track of them all. She was just finishing up on some comment about how Takagi was miserable without that Hirano fool. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, obviously the Takagi heiress had no taste.

"I trust it hasn't all been hardships for her," he implored gently.

"Well the medicine you had sent has been a great help. Saya's hardly coughing at all anymore."

"That's wonderful news, Rei."

She shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "So, Shido-sensei, I meant to ask... what were you planning to do in the near future? I mean, with the Kurotaiyou?"

"Do? Why should we do anything different?" he asked. "People are safe, people are happy."

"Yes I know that but what about the future? You can't just go on raiding the surrounding land for supplies, eventually it'll all dry up."

"Not for at least two years, by my reckoning," he replied, adjusting his glasses.

"But what about after those two years?"

He smiled in that leering fashion again. "Oh Rei, Rei, please... there's no need to worry your pretty little head about it. Everything is fine. Let the rest of the world fall into chaos, while we..." he emphasized, spreading out his arms to encompass the stadium. "Ascend. Ascend into glory. Very soon we will be the only people left alive in the world, and the decaying bodies of the Revenants will fall down and rot away to nothing. Those who remain behind will go out and claim a new world, a clean, purified world. All theirs for the taking."

Rei shivered but, despite herself, could not help but see it almost exactly as Shido envisioned. She saw waves of black-clad figures marching into the new world, destroying and conquering, indulging in their barbaric, base instincts at the command of their slightly gray-er leader, who ushered them on in the name of his mad crusaders. Koichi Shido and the Kurotaiyou would ruin the world far more terribly than any undead apocalypse ever could.

She placed a hand over her lips, feeling sick.

Shido breathed in slowly as he beheld the stadium below, watching his followers scurry about like ants, and felt pride fill him. This had all been his doing. Not because of his father's influence, but because of him and him alone. He had done it himself.

If only he could make her see. Surely all he had done was worthy of some forgiveness.

"Now, Rei, I was thinking the other night... and I had a question if you're willing to answer. Nothing complex, just... a simple question."

She eyed him warily, suspecting a trap. "Okay..."

Shido paused to take in breath, wanting to make sure he phrased this properly, when something trickled at his nose. Some odd scent. Frowning, he glanced over his shoulder back at the ballpark. Almost instantly he spotted a bright spot. A fire was burning in the field. It was smoke he smelled. Yellow eyes opened wide in shock as he realized the danger involved.

"What the-?"

"Leader-sama! Leader-sama!"

Konna and Yuuki came through the entrance to the stands, nearly slamming into one another before skidding to a halt before Shido and Rei, breathing heavily.

"There's a fire Shido-sama!" Yuuki said after she'd caught her breath.

"I can see that you-!" he caught himself before he said something improper. "Nevermind! Get the water supplies, get that fire out! Go get the Brothers and-!"

"But everyone's gone crazy!" whined Konna, having regained her own breath. "No one is listening to us!"

Biting back a curse, Shido stomped past the two witless Sisters, shoving Konna aside as he made his way to the exit. He's sort this out, one way or another. Rei scrambled to her feet and let her right hand fall to her side, feeling the thin sliver of metal resting beneath the folds of her obi. She would need it soon, she suspected. She and the other two gave chase after Shido.

* * *

For those who'd claimed to know him in High School, it might've surprised most of Takashi's supposed friends that he wasn't much of a fighter. Most took one look at his scary face and assumed he was the sort of delinquent who enjoyed a good brawl between second and third semester if someone mouthed off to him the wrong way, when in reality, this was far from the quiet, withdrawn boy he'd once been.

Right now, however, he would've enjoyed it if they'd been right, if only because it would mean he'd be able to do better against Hide.

The shorter boy on the other hand, moved with a fluidity and strength that suggested he _was_ a brawler. Someone who fought with his fists on a regular basis. And he took Takashi's punches, shrugged them off and just kept coming for more. Takashi, on the other hand, was already starting to wear down. He wasn't some fancy martial artist like Hisashi, he couldn't dodge or block the hits. So he just took them, accepted the pain, and kept hitting back as hard as he could.

One such hit stunned Hide, knocking him up against the wall stunned, and Takashi threw his arm up against the boy's chest to pin him there, grabbing at his keys and unlocking the door before he could properly recover. Then he threw Hide to the ground.

"About time!" Kohta declared as Takashi stumbled in.

"Well excuse me," muttered Takashi, rubbing his knuckles. "I was too busy-"

"Look out!"

Kohta charged forward, knocking Hide's aim off, so his bullet impacted in the floor inches from Takashi's shoe instead of burying itself in his skull, where he'd previously been aiming. The gun otaku and the mad Brother began to wrestle for the AR-10, but its current owner knocked Kohta in the gut with it. His flak vest protected him from the worst of it but it was still a blow to the gut, and he went staggering back. His teammate charged in before Hide could bring the weapon to bear again.

Takashi wrenched the rifle out of Hide's hands, but he'd been waiting for that, and landed a right hook that knocked Takashi onto the ground. Hide wasted no time in turning on Kohta, before the latter could make his own attack. He just went in swinging like a madman.

"I've waited a long time to do this you fatass loser!"

Kohta went stumbling back into the suite, and Hide pressed his advantage with another roundhouse punch that left Kohta seeing stars, nearly knocking his glasses clean off. He collided hard up against the viewing chairs, grateful to have something support his balance, when Hide slammed into him, pushing him back, laying half over them. Hands closed around Kohta's throat as Hide tried to choke the life out of him, crushing his windpipe.

Takashi threw himself onto Hide, grabbing at his own throat with his arm, and physically hauled the shorter boy off of Kohta. Once his teammate was safe, Takashi released him, throwing another punch, which Hide ducked under and returned in kind, striking Takashi in the jaw. It hurt abyssally, and he was pretty sure he'd have a big nasty bruise before too much longer, but he fought back the pain and kept swinging.

He spotted Kohta, however, making a frantic 'come on' gesture with his arm, standing right in front of the glass window from which the view of the ballpark could be seen. Seeing Takashi get his message, the gun otaku dropped down onto all fours and braced himself right in front of the glass pane. Catching his meaning, Takashi didn't throw another punch but charged forward and pushed Hide back this time. Stumbling over Kohta just like they had planned, there was no way the Crusader could catch himself before he smashed into the glass and fell through it almost as if it wasn't even there, giving a scream as he descended over the edge and into the ballpark, falling at least a dozen feet before he landed with a sickening crack.

"Thanks," said Takashi weakly, holding out a hand to help Kohta back to his feet. Nodding, the marksman adjusted his glasses and peered over the jagged edge of the now broken mirror.

"Think he's...?"

"Yeah," replied Takashi grimly. "But we got bigger problems to worry about," he added, pointing out at the encampment below. Shizuka's handiwork was already starting to take effect from what he could see. Small clouds of yellow mist were rising, and the people were acting... erratically to say the least.

He glanced up as a click was heard, and saw to his relief only that Kohta was inspecting his rifle for damage.

"You know Saya and Saeko are raiding their weapons cache right now. I'm sure we can find you a better rifle if that's one getting old."

"Yeah, but this is _my_ rifle. There are many like it, but this one is _mine_," Kohta declared, ejecting the magazine and checking its contents, gauging how well-loaded he was.

"You do know we stole that from Shizuka-sensei's friend, remember?" Takashi asked him.

Kohta waved him off. "Semantics. I've been using it in combat. We share a bond," he stated solemnly, and so seriously Takashi visibly blanched.

"Geez, why don't you just name it too?"

"Who says I didn't?" replied the marksman, one eye glinting behind his glasses as he gave Takashi an eerie looking grin. He wisely decided not to press the issue.

A scream ended the awkward moment as the two boys looked down again. Several zombies had somehow staggered into the field, and were mingling freely with the survivors of the Kurotaiyou. Mostly because they were being welcomed with open arms. To the drugged-out minds of the Brothers and Sisters, they were being embraced by long-lost family, close friends, or objects of love and lust long out of their reach.

"Looks like someone let the Revenants out of their cage," mused Takashi, even as he held up a hand to shield his eyes from the stinging smoke. Well, that's handy. He'd half thought of doing that himself but hadn't wanted to get anyone unduly killed. As it was, he was indirectly responsible for this. This carnage down below was all on his shoulders.

Kohta snapped the magazine into place, the sound jolting Takashi from his dark thoughts.

"Ready," reported the marksman, sliding easily back into his role as fighter and protector.

Takashi nodded, sweeping past him and out of the suite. "Everyone is gathering at the point we indicated, go help them out."

"What about you?" asked Kohta as he jogged to keep up.

"I'm taking a longer route, I want to make sure Rei is okay."

"Good luck!" Kohta cried out over his shoulder, as the two of them broke apart and ran in opposite directions.

* * *

Kensui's blade flashed downwards...

Only to be intercepted with a loud clang as steel met steel. His cerulean eyes widened as he saw that his killing strike had been intercepted by Saeko Busujima, recovered thanks to Saya's interference, and was now on the attack again.

He leapt backwards, swords crossed in front of him, awaiting their next move. He felt fully confident he could've killed Saya one-on-one, and with a little effort could've handled Saeko. But both of them? That could be trickier. He needed to handle this carefully.

Saeko glared darkly at him as she maintained her defensive stance, giving Saya more than ample time to recover her wakizashi and assume a similar one beside her.

"We take him together?" she asked.

Raven locks whipped back and forth as Saeko shook her head. "No, he's mine."

"Saeko..."

"I do not interfere with your personal matters," replied the Busujima swordswoman coldly, tightening her grip on her katana. "Do not interfere in mine. And," she added, her voice dropping in volume so Kensui could not overhear. "It may be dangerous if you are too close when..."

Golden eyes widened in realization. She didn't want Saya nearby in case she lost the ability to distinguish friend from foe in the madness of combat.

Pink pigtails bobbed. "I'll be nearby," said Saya, and slipped back out of the way, flicking her gaze back and forth, both to watch for other Crusaders who might try to sneak up on them, and to keep an eye on the duel in case Saeko truly did need her help.

Kensui, however, was privy to almost none of this, and only smirked as he saw Saya all but abandon her teammate to give him the one-on-one duel he wanted with Saeko. He shifted his grip on his swords, feeling his blood start to pump in excitement. This was what he'd always wanted. A chance to prove he was better than her.

"Just you and me now, Saeko-chan," he said, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, limbering up. "You finally stepped up to the big leagues."

While Kensui was excited at the prospect of their clash, Saeko just regarded him coolly, with no more interest than the wind on her face.

"You threatened my student," she stated coldly. "Moreover, you threatened my family," intoned Saeko, blade upraised, clasped tight between pale hands. In the mindset of Saeko Busujima, there was no holier law, and Kensui Osashubi had just violated it.

Only one punishment would suffice.

Saeko blinked, and in between one instant and the next, she was gone, and Shinigami was there behind her eyes. Half a second later she was charging forward with katana upraised, swinging wildly. Kensui countered, shifting his stance back, and she just kept right on coming. The air was alive with the clang-clang of metal on metal as the dark-haired girl spun and slashed with deadly steel. And Kensui just kept on falling back to try and get some breathing room between him and the Goddess of Death before him.

One lucky stab grazed his cheek, drawing blood, and Kensui blinked in astonishment at the near-hit. If he'd been a fraction of a second slow that blade would've cut clean through his skull. Saeko seemed to know it as well, and now she was the one with the eager look in her eyes. Quickly he switched tactics, altering is grip on his second sword to make it easier to have a follow through, and spun around in a wide arc with both blades, letting them ring against her katana with precision strikes. She was quick and skilled but he was bigger and stronger, all he had to do was wear her down. She seemed to realize this as well, and Saeko was suddenly on the defensive again.

He swung his first sword in wide arcs, giving her ample time to counter, and then moved in with his second blade while she was preoccupied with the first, moving faster to throw her off. However, she didn't block, she ducked and dodged and side-stepped, never letting either blade so much as touch her lily-white skin. And kept stepping back, away from him.

Kensui's attacks started to come slower, and he felt like his arms were heavier with each blow he missed throwing him off-balance. And Saeko just stood there, watching him with an evil little smirk on her face. That's when realization struck him. She'd been dodging his attacks on purpose so she expended the least amount of energy to counter him.

All this time _she_ had been wearing _him_ down!

Angrily he swung down both blades, wanting nothing more than to cleave her in half. She parried his first sword, then expertly spun on her heel to counter the second, pushing it aside and slipping inside of his guard with her own body as the weapon. Her head impacted against his chin in an expert, if somewhat unorthodox, head butt, and she knocked him back, stunned and off-guard. Knowing he'd recover in an instant, her blade lashed out blindly, not caring what she hit, and she was rewarded to hear him scream as her katana bit into flesh and bone and travelled through them like they were butter.

One of Kensui's swords hit the ground. His left hand let go of it seconds later.

Gasping in pain he staggered back, still holding up his other sword in his right hand to fend her off, his left arm ending at the wrist, his hand neatly severed. He clutched his now useless appendage against his chest protectively as his dark-haired rival glared at him menacingly.

"You bitch!"

She didn't reply, just grinned wickedly as she raised up her sword to finish him off.

"You cheated!" he yelled, and flung his remaining sword right at her. Saeko parried, knocking the length of deadly steel out of the air before it hit her, but the damage was done. Kensui turned and ran as quick as he could in the opposite direction, skirting past Saya before the pink-haired girl could even think of stopping him.

Growling low in the back of her throat, the dark-haired woman moved to give chase, but a hand snapped out to catch her shoulder before she could go too far.

"We have to stick to the plan," Saya said, holding onto her arm firmly. Reluctantly, Saeko nodded, seeing her point.

"Very well. I've accomplished what I set out to do in any case."

Saya quickly kneeled down to re-gather their teams weapons in her arms. "You don't need to prove whose stronger in some stupid childish duel," she said.

"I don't need to prove I'm _stronger_," Saeko replied, re-sheathing her katana.

"Just better."

* * *

Flash.

The camera went off, and in seconds, Saito had blinded their attacker with the camera in his hands. Zeke wasted no time in bolting forward and sinking his teeth into the Brother's wrist. He gave a most undignified yelp as his pipe went clattering to the ground, and stumbled backwards, trying to dislodge the animal.

"Get off me you stupid creature!"

Zeke let go seconds before the much bigger boy could hit him, and dropped onto all fours in front of Alice and Saito, barking up a storm.

"Stupid mutt!" swore the Crusader, grabbing a pistol from his back pocket un-clicking the safety. "I hope they have dogfood in hel-!"

Bang.

The Crusader's eyes rolled up into the back of his head as he fell forward onto the ground, narrowly missing Zeke, who leapt nimbly out of the way. Alice and Saito could only gape in shock as they saw their rescuer. None other than Shizuka Marikawa, holding the Crusader's own metal pipe in her trembling hands.

"That's one way to get him to pipe down," Shizuka said, as the pipe slipped from her hands to clatter on the ground. Her whole body was trembling, she'd never been violent like that before. Adrenaline was coursing through her, and she wasn't sure if she was exhilarated or terrified. And both of the kids were watching her the whole while, and didn't look like they knew either.

Shizuka opened her arms, and swept them both up into a warm embrace, grateful for their presence. And they were grateful to have their Shizuka back.

Zeke gave a warning bark, and Shizuka's head snapped back up. At the far end of the hallway was that black-haired boy from before. She recognized him now, it was Kurokami, from Fujimi High. He'd been on the bus with Shido since the very beginning. Shizuka quickly turned around and spread out her arms, blocking Saito and Alice protectively behind her as Zeke growled menacingly from beside her ankle.

"I knew it was a mistake to let you stay here," the boy said. "Ever since you abandoned Shido-sensei, it's been clear to me you're nothing but a bunch of delinquents. You just take what you want and move on, nevermind what other people need. Well no more."

He advanced menacingly on them, and Shizuka's eyes darted over to the unconscious body of the other Brother. Quickly she grabbed at the pistol still in his pocket, fumbling awkwardly with the heavy weapon only for a moment before she pulled back on the hammer and aimed it at Kurokami. She stood her ground, trying to look stern as she protected the children. And failing miserably. They both knew she wouldn't pull that trigger. He kept right on coming, reaching into his pocket for his own weapon.

"Hey!"

The dark-haired boy spun around, and Shizuka gave a bright smile as she saw salvation at hand. At the far end of the hallway, scuffed and dirty but armed to the teeth were two deadly ladies. Saeko and Saya had arrived.

"Back the fuck off," declared Saya.

Kurokami quickly drew out a butterfly knife from his pocket, unsnapping the ends and giving it a controlled twirl and flick to snap it into place, the small weapon now ready to be used.

Saeko pointedly unsheathed her own katana and held it out before her, flicking her cold gaze from her blade to his.

"A little smallish for the job, isn't it?" Saya asked mildly, also noticing the large difference in sizes.

The black-haired boy continued to stare the girls down for perhaps a moment longer, dark eyes glaring... before the knife fell from his nerveless hands and he turned tail and ran for all he was worth in the opposite direction. Saeko waited perhaps a moment longer before re-sheathing her sword. She and Saya jogged off to join the others.

"Is everyone alright?" she asked.

"I think we'll be alright" said Shizuka, smiling brightly, gesturing with her hand. She seemed to have all but forgotten the small caliber gun was still in it. "Everything worked out perfect-"

"Sensei, careful with that!" shouted Saya, grabbing the weapon out of her hand as the dangerous end passed dangerously close to her head. She quickly clicked on the safety before the blonde nurse could kill someone.

"You two did well in defending our things," intoned Saeko, speaking to the younger kids.

"Saito-kun was really brave!" declared Alice, hugging the arm of the little boy, who looked decidedly confused and out of place, even as he gave a smile of pride in his accomplishments.

A shout down the corridor caused them all to tense, reaching for weapons, but to their relief, it was only Kohta, jogging awkwardly to meet them with his rifle in hand, already panting from his exertions.

"That just leaves Takashi and Rei," said Saya, glancing down the corridor. "They better hurry."

* * *

Shido's first destination was the armory, to ensure his Crusaders were armed and ready for combat. Finding that a mess, however, as well as the unconscious forms of Dexter and Richard lying there, prompted him to launch into a tirade about how worthless everyone was, and how he had to do all of it himself. He grabbed up an M-16 from behind one of the racks, fully prepared to shoot anyone who even _looked_ at him funny during this crisis. Rei, Konna, and Yuuki wisely stayed out of his way as he stalked down one of the aisles towards the ballpark.

As fortune would have it, they arrived moments after the worst of the smoke had dissipated from Shizuka's part in the plan. The fire and many leaves were still burning at the far end of the stadium, but the closer fires had all used up their unexpected fuel. Leaving only those already affected under the influence of the hydrangea paniculata.

"I'm flying!" exclaimed one woman, dancing in her bare feet across the grass, cheerfully ignoring the screams and shouts of those around her. And she wasn't alone. Two older men were laying back against an overturned tent like it was a blanket and singing some drinking song as they stared up at the domed ceiling. They saw one large man embrace one of the rotting corpses as he proclaimed his love for them, even as they ripped into his jugular and he collapsed into their arms, blood spurting from his mouth.

Shido angrily adjusted the M-16 from single-shot to semi-automatic. "I won't let chaos threaten this new world of mine!" he proclaimed, and opened fire into the crowd, indiscriminately shooting at almost anything that moved.

"Oh my _gawd_!" screamed Konna, catching sight of some more undead stumbling their way towards them. The gunfire of Shido's weapon was attracting them like moths to a flame. He opened fire again to cut down those coming towards him, but it was only adding fuel to the fire. He turned to give instructions for those still sober to leave, when he caught sight of another one of Them about to pounce on Sister Yuuki.

"Look out!" he shouted, opening fire wildly.

Fortunately, his aim was good enough he avoided hitting Yuuki Miku while his bullets buried themselves in the body and head of her attacker, though blood did splatter all over the poor unfortunate woman, staining her clothes red.

"Fall back!" Rei shouted, already retreating to the ramp leading out of the ballpark. She recognized a losing battle when she saw one. Plus, she didn't have a weapon with her. The slender knife would barely kill one of them, and only if she was lucky to stab them in the eye. She was feeling decidedly vulnerable right now.

Evidently Shido wasn't, though it was hard not to recognize when his rifle when from the rat-a-tat-tat of firing to the click-click-click of empty. Enraged, he threw it at the nearest approaching figure, turned, and ran. He was halfway up the ramp before he overtook Rei and made his way to an emergency set of stairs, yanking the door open and holding it thusly.

"Come on, come on, move it!" he shouted, beckoning them to quicken their pace. Rei slipped past him as he held the door, but Konna and Yuuki both lagged behind, evidently not used to all the running. Life in the Kurotaiyou sanctuary had evidently left them soft.

Right now, it didn't look like they were going to make it in time, as hungry undead forms stumbled down the corridor after them.

Shido's eyes widened at the sight of corpses drawing closer, and slammed the door shut. The two Sisters reached the door seconds later, but found it securely locked from the other side. Konna pounded on the door, shrieking loudly for their leader to save them, but realization had hit Yuuki like a ton of bricks. They'd been used. Koichi Shido's lies had finally come to light. Like maggots bursting forth from the rotting skin of a corpse. Yuuki and Konna watched in horror as their leader abandoned them, cutting off their own escape to ensure his. They could do nothing but cringe as undead figures began to surround them, giving their signature low moans of hunger.

Yuuki and Konna clung tightly to one another as they were descended upon by grasping hands and hungry mouths.

And not in a good way.

* * *

"We can't just leave them!" said Rei, trying to push past Shido to get the door open.

He shoved her back, trying to push her up the stairs. "They were noble sacrifices," he explained, adjusting his glasses and continuing to push her up the stairs, hands lingering on her back in a way that made her shiver. "They died so their leader, and the rest of the Kurotaiyou, could live."

"That wasn't noble!"

He ignored her, pushing her up the stairs. When they reached a mid-level section, however, she paused as he pushed past her. She took up the rear, trying to make sure she didn't trip on the stairs in her long kimono.

"All you care about is yourself and your own damned sins! And you're too stupid to see you keep doing the same thing, you keep throwing people away like trash because you don't care about anyone but yourself. Well I won't ever forgive you, Koichi Shido! Everything you've done has been selfish and cowardly and just look where its gotten you! All these people-!"

"Shut up!" he snarled, grabbing her shoulders and pushing her away from him hard. "Do you have any idea of what I've sacrificed?"

Rei stumbled, grasping the railing to keep from pitching over the side. Below, they could still hear screams, but they were fainter now. The sounds of bodies slamming into the door, however, did not abate. Evidently the zombies were trying to break into the stairway. And given their numbers and strength, they wouldn't take long.

"After all I've done for them! Saved them, healed them, _forgiven_ them! These people should love me! All of them!" he spat, shoving her aside and continuing to climb the stairs.

She was right behind him, however, and didn't let up her tirade for a moment. "All you do is control them and lie to them! You're a monster! And anyone with two eyes can see it!"

"Even you, Miyamoto-san! After all I've done for you, _why_? Why do you still hate me? I'm not a bad person!" he proclaimed loudly, his voice rising until it was positively hysterical.

And coincidently, attracting more unwanted attention. Because at the top of the stairs they came to another hallway, and already more of Them had come into sight, some of them even sporting the distinctive black armbands of the Kurotaiyou. Already turned into thoughtless, undead monsters. Koichi Shido came skidding to a halt before he could bolt down the hallway he wanted, and bid a hasty retreat back to where Rei was just reaching the top of the stairs.

His step, however, was misplaced on a wet puddle of water, near-invisible, that had spilled out over the stairs, and his foot slipped. Shido came crashing down near the top of the stairs, and only barely managed to avoid tumbling down the stairs as he hit the sharp corner of the topmost one hard, knocking the breath out of him. Before he could recover, a gray hand grasped his ankle and clung tightly, even as he kicked to try and dislodge the grip of his former disciple.

"Get off of me! GET! OFF! OF! ME!"

Their grip was like iron, however, and could not be shaken.

Still thrashing desperately, he thrust out a hand to the only living being within reach. "Rei! Help me! Please!"

She hesitated, horrified at how suddenly he had changed gears again. One minute he'd been condemning Yuuki and Konna to death just to buy himself an escape, now he was helpless and begging for her help.

"Have _pity_ on me!" he screamed, water streaming from his eyes, staining his pale cheeks. But Rei recognized them for what they truly were: crocodile tears. The instant he had her hand he'd throw her to the monsters and escape himself. Make her another 'noble sacrifice' for the glorious leader of the Kurotaiyou.

Rei peered down at him very, very coldly, and deliberately took a single step back, out of his reach. "Survival of the fittest, sensei," she replied, turning back around and walking off.

"W-what? No, wait, I, AAAAAGH!" he screamed as the undead woman finally found purchase, her sharp teeth sinking into Shido's ankle, gnawing off his foot as he screamed and thrashed, trying to throw her off.

"Get off of me you ungrateful bitch! Aaaagh! Get off! Rei! I didn't mean those things I'd said! Help me! For Kami-sama's sake, help me! AAAAUUUUGH!"

Rei Miyamoto did not turn around, did not look back, did not even try to block out the screams. Instead, she savored them, her expression grim as she left behind the deluded madman and his followers, making her way back to her family.

Knowing somehow, deep in her heart, that wherever he was, Konpaku Miyamoto was smiling down on his daughter, finally at peace.

* * *

"For Kami-sama's sake, help me! AAAAUUUUGH!" Shido screamed, reaching out vainly for his last hope at salvation. Not only for his soul now, but his life as well. But that selfish, stuck-up bitch Miyamoto just kept on walking, as if she couldn't hear a damn thing. She was abandoning him!

He struggled to one foot, trying to get some leverage against the undead holding his leg, but he slipped on the same damn puddle of water. This time his chin hit the ground hard, and his glasses slipped off his face, clattering somewhere nearby. He couldn't be sure where, his vision instantly went fuzzy. And the pain of teeth sinking into his foot didn't help, as he twisted and lashed out with his free leg, kicking at his zombie attacker.

His vision blurred, he wasn't sure what he was hitting. Without his glasses he couldn't see properly. Damned astigmatism. He couldn't make out the features of his attacker, though he could see it was a woman dressed as a Sister by the general shape and color of their clothes. He kicked hard at their face and hands, trying to dislodge their iron grip on his ankle.

For a moment, the features become clearer, the face became Konna's. Then Yuuki's, then Lucy's and even Kuroia and Kiiroi. The faces of all those he'd loved like his own children, all those he'd betrayed and cast aside, all those purity he'd destroyed. He blinked his eyes, his struggles diminishing at his strength began to fade. The last face was the most haunting. He knew consciously it couldn't be so, but he _saw_ the dead, decayed, zombified face of Rei Miyamoto.

"_Give us a kiss, sensei_," she hissed, her lilting voice warbled by rotting vocal cords.

All his strength drained away as the undead monster climbed atop of him and sunk their teeth deep into his neck. Blood spurted from the wound as he cast his ochre eyes skywards and darkness claimed him.

* * *

Running along the entire length of the stadium's outer ring was exhausting, but Takashi saw no other option to finding Rei. As it was, he nearly stumbled over his own two feet when he finally caught sight of her. Much as he would've enjoyed running up to her and taking her in his arms, he was forced to lean up against the wall and catch his breath first. She jogged over to him.

"What happened?" he managed to gasp out, glancing over her shoulder to see if she was being followed. Loud cries of agony rang through the corridor, and he glanced at Rei again.

"Shido will keep them busy for a while," she said. "But we need to get going."

"Rei..." His eyes asked the question his mouth couldn't quite bring himself to voice.

She shook her head. "It was his own damned fault."

A rat-a-tat-tat came from further down the hallway, and the ceiling above them was peppered in bullets. One of the crusading Brothers was going nuts further down the hall, screaming something about Black Ships and an invasion. Obviously he was in full delusional mode by this point, and Takashi had no desire to linger and be mistaken for a Brit.

"Let's go!" he shouted, taking Rei's hand and running down the hall, through the chaos and carnage and debauchery, doing his best not to breathe too heavily.

Takashi ducked under a stray gunshot meant for one of Them and kept running. There, up ahead, he spotted Saya and Saeko, both armed, and felt relief wash over him. His family was there. Rei was right on front of him, showing only a little awkwardness in her gait thanks to the long length of her kimono, and he slowed his gait to make sure he could support her if she tripped or fell.

They were going to make it.

They were almost out!

Bang.

There was a distant shot, and less than a millisecond later a cry. Time seems to slow, warp, and stretch, as Rei's ruby eyes widened in horror. She'd recognized that cry. All sound seemed to fade to distant murmurs as her head turned around, and she saw Takashi. Falling. To her perception, falling slowly, in dilated time motion, forward. He was clutching at his back, with his left arm. She didn't see who'd fired the bullet, but the evidence was conclusive: someone had shot Takashi. Whether on purpose or by accident was irrelevant.

Takashi impacted against the ground hard, unable to use his arms to catch himself, and lay there, his face contorted in pain.

In that instant, perception returned to normal, and time sped up again to normal, complete with the chaos and sound of gunfire overhead, the screams of the dying and those about to die. Skidding to a halt, Rei reversed her direction immediately, and wasn't too surprised to see Kohta already bolting forward. The two of them reached Takashi at about the same time.

"Fuck!" he screamed, clutching his back and rolling onto his side. "It hurts!"

Their fearless leader's lower back was bleeding feebly, and they didn't dare try to treat his injury in the middle of this war zone. Not during an escape. Rei quickly pressed her hands against his wound while Kohta grabbed Takashi's arm and hauled him to his shaky feet. Seeing him stumble, Kohta threw one of Takashi's arms over his shoulders, supporting him. Rei quickly did the same for his other side, they'd have to treat him after they got out.

Now that there were no gun-toting Crusaders guarding the gates, it was easy to break down the barricade from the inside and make their way down the main ramp entrance to the far parking lot. Takashi being carried by Rei and Kohta slowed them down only a little, and it tied up some of their weapons, but Saeko and Saya were quick to join them only moments later, the former taking the lead while the latter dropped back to make sure they weren't being followed.

A particularly loud boom came from up above, and the distinct rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire from a repeating rifle. Kohta paused in his steps, glancing back up at the stadium. The sanctuary of the Kurotaiyou was spouting smoke from its top not unlike an old style chimney, burning from the inside. It still carried the faint whiff of incense, but at this range none of them were in any real danger. He spotted a few stragglers making their way out another one of the exits, but there was no way of telling if they'd make it far.

He felt some of his anger for the Kurotaiyou and its atrocities ebb away as he realized he'd just robbed these survivors of food, home, and safety. Possibly, and even probably, condemned them to death.

A hand came to rest on his free shoulder. "We did them a favor," said Saya, unusually subdued. "They were dead inside there. Parodies of life stumbling around searching for purpose."

Catching sight of something out of his peripheral vision, Kohta pointedly nodded his head, indicating a passing zombie. No doubt the noise was drawing it towards the chaos of the stadium. It passed by them without even turning its rotting head.

She took his point. "The living dead and the dead living... in the end, it's not clear which one is worse."

"I still want to stay alive," he declared, shifting their unconscious leader's arm on his shoulder. Together, they led their way away from the stadium as the Black Sun set for the last time.

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**Special rare double-length chapter. I'd originally considered breaking it up into two separate chapters so you, my loyal readers, wouldn't have to wait so long to see it, but the naming scheme was already well in place, and I decided this might be a nice thanksgiving gift instead. So, enjoy. Nothing quite like a Zombie Apocalypse to make you grateful for everything you have.

And yes, that was a Red vs Blue reference with Rich and Dex (aka Simmons and Grif). I couldn't help myself.


	11. 10 Dry Remains

**_X – Dry/Remains_**

"_Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and  
__calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense_."

- **Mark Overby**.

* * *

**Matsukai City, Japan  
****1510 hours,  
****Z Day + 36**

Their leader had long since passed out, and that had given them all plenty of cause for concern.

Dragging his heavy body was proving an arduous task under the best of circumstances, and Kohta and Rei were already starting to flag behind the others thanks to his additional weight. To say nothing of tying up their weapon hands in case they were attacked, and they were still in the middle of a big city with more than a few of Them stumbling around. To say nothing of any Kurotaiyou survivors who might be hunting them. If that wasn't bad enough, winter had come very early to this part of Japan. It wasn't quite to the point of snowing yet, but they passed by more than a few patches of water from the night before that were frozen along the edges. The sun was completely hidden behind the heavy cloud cover, and all of them were shivering and miserable.

Shizuka, however, was more concerned about the gunshot wound. Despite attempts to dress it, it was bleeding heavily, and there wouldn't be much longer before they'd have to elect a new leader to their little band.

"I need to take a closer look at his injury," said the blonde nurse, holding up a hand to stop them.

Saya, however, pushed past her. "We can't stop here, it's too exposed. We need to find a building where we can take shelter first."

"But he might die," protested Shizuka.

Saya just glared at her, saying nothing, and continued to march on.

The first building they came across was abandoned but broken, the windows and doors smashed and open wide to the elements. As well as passing zombies. Completely unsuitable for their needs. However, the next building they came across was an Abortion Clinic, and seeing it relatively intact, Saya beckoned the others to follow as she and Saeko made their way to the doorway. It wasn't far from the ballpark stadium, but at this point, they were far enough away anyone not _actively_ pursuing them wouldn't be able to find them. Those that were would have an easier time of it.

All they would have to do is follow the trail of Takashi's spilled blood.

The doors were the automatic type that normally opened by the approach of moving bodies, but like most of Japan, they were powerless in the wake of the EMP. Saya quickly sorted through their things to find the hand crowbar, and used it to pry the doors open.

"I will secure the building," intoned Saeko, slipping past them easily, checking the lobby and behind the counters, then making sure each room was secure. Most doors were unlocked, but those that weren't she left be for the time being.

Kohta and Rei followed Shizuka with their unconscious teammate, carrying him together as she made a beeline for one of the rooms in the back. They stumbled along more slowly after her.

"Where're we going?" asked Kohta. He'd considered setting their leader down on one of the comfy looking couches in the waiting room, or failing that, the floor.

"There should be a... ah!" Shizuka triumphantly pointed to a sign above the latest set of doors, which indicated it was an operating room. "It's an abortion clinic, this place is ready to deal with medical complications when the baby isn't developing properly and the mother's life is in danger. It should have everything we need to patch up..."

She tried the door handle. It was locked.

Fortunately it was an older-style lock, and the deft use of a hairpin by Saya quickly proved its undoing. It swung open wide, and the Takagi heiress took point, wakizashi upraised as she checked out the room before ensuring it was empty, then beckoning them in. The lights were out, and no windows were found here, but Alice quickly powered up her flashlight and held it high enough so they all could see.

"Lay him down on his stomach," instructed Shizuka, searching the cabinets. "I need to see what happened and get the bullet out, if it's still in there. Someone get off his shirt."

They laid out Takashi as lightly as they could over the padded table, while Shizuka started laying down some pads and pulling on some rubber gloves, snapping them tight over her delicate hands. Rei helped to remove his stained red shirt, exposing his muscular back and the wound in question, drawing winces from everyone present. He groaned weakly but did not protest, too far gone to even fully register what was happening to him.

Kohta gently took the flashlight from Alice. "I'll hold that," he said gently. "You go find Saito-kun and Saya-sama. Stay with them, okay?"

"But what abou-?"

"He'll be fine," Kohta replied smoothly. "Shizuka-sensei will patch him up good as new, you'll see."

Alice frowned up at Kohta, able to see even in the dim light he was lying to placate her. But, reluctantly, she stepped out of the room to where Saito and the others were.

"Over here," requested Shizuka. "I need more light."

Kohta angled the flashlight while the blonde nurse worked, first cleaning away the worst of the blood, then taking a proper examination of the wound. It turned out the bullet had lodged itself in his flesh instead of passing through, but mercifully had managed to avoid hitting any internal organs. Shizuka could see it plain as day still lodged in his back, not too far beneath the surface. It must've been an accidental shot at quite some distance, probably an accident, not someone who'd been actually out to kill him. He'd been lucky.

"Forceps," she said, holding out a hand to Rei.

The ginger-haired girl blinked in confusion. "What?"

"Forceps, the... prying-apart-thingies," Shizuka replied, gesturing at the instrument in question on a nearby tray.

Rei grabbed up the appropriate instrument, placing it in Shizuka's gloved hand. "Forceps."

The blonde nurse blinked in confusion. "Miyamoto, this is a retractor, look..."

Some confusion later, Shizuka had the right tools, and as gently as she could, tried to pry away some of the flesh to expose the bullet wound. Her patient hissed in pain, the sensation jolting him closer to full awareness. Muttering, she stepped back and grabbed up a syringe, pulling open a cabinet to try and find suitable content for it. Bandages and gauze went raining down as she pushed them aside to finally find what she was looking for, some morphine. Adding it to the syringe she carefully tapped the length to ensure no bubbles were in it. Last thing she needed to do now was given their fearless leader an air embolism.

"Kohta-kun, hold him down please? This is going to hurt but there's no time to numb the area..."

"Yes ma'am," he replied with a nod, grabbing his fellow comrade-in-arms by the shoulders to steady him, and Shizuka's patient nodded dimly, perhaps somewhat aware of what they were doing to him. However, it didn't help much as seconds later Shizuka plunged the needle into his upper arm and he instinctively jerked his body away from the pain. Kohta held him down as firmly as he could, and Shizuka was as quickly as possible, pumping the numbing agent into his body then removing the needle. She wished she had time to properly clean and wash the arm as well, but there wasn't any time, so she slapped a band-aid on to stop the bleeding and returned to the more important issue: the gunshot wound.

Again she applied the forceps, as gently as possible trying to extract the bullet without causing further tissue damage or undo pain. At least he was unconscious now. Black locks of hair obscuring his face as his breathing became slow and labored.

"Will he be okay?" Rei asked, growing increasingly worried by his slow breathing.

"It's hard to say, he may be going into shock, but if I don't... ah!"

Shizuka triumphantly held up the bullet with her forceps, the mangled bit of deadly metal now harmless as she tossed it over into the corner, where it neatly fell into the waste basket. Moments later the rest of the team filed in, gathering in the one room which was largely enough for them all to fit, but keeping on the peripheral edges so as to keep out of the nurses' way.

"The building is secure, it's only one floor," explained Saeko. "And most of the windows are too high for someone to break in."

"We barricaded the front door with some couches just in case," added Kohta. "That should at least slow down anyone who wants in."

"What about the back door?" asked Saya.

"Back door?"

"Baka most places like this have a back door for the staff to come in or get out," explained Saya. "It's so the general public doesn't see them. Or in case there's an angry mob outside."

"Oh, right! Uhm... on it!" he exclaimed.

Saeko placed a hand over his shoulder and slipped past him. "Allow me," she said. "There are matters you all need to discuss."

"Discuss?" Rei echoed as the dark-haired woman slipped out of the room. _What could there be to discuss_?

Kohta seemed to have an idea, however. "What do we do now?" he asked, turning to Saya for answers. In his mental chain-of-command, she was directly under their overall leader. And only by the thinnest of margins, since it had already been proven if the two had a major disagreement, Kohta's first loyalties lay with her.

"Well we can't stay here," Saya mused aloud. "We keep heading into the countryside. Travel west until we find a better place to take shelter."

"Uhm... we should also take the medical supplies here," added Shizuka softly. "We may not have another chance to find more."

"Any chance we can get another car?" asked Alice. "Saito and Zeke are tired from walking everywhere."

Saya smiled, pleased with the idea, and ruffled the little redhead's head as she nodded in agreement. "Okay then here's the plan: we get a car, come back here, take everything of value, and head west."

"We should leave immediately then," replied Saeko as she got back, catching the tail end of their conversation. "The sooner we are ready to leave this place, the better."

"What about your patient, doc?" asked Saya.

"Please don't call me 'doc'," she replied. Made her sound old. "And he's unconscious, I had to sedate him. He's not out of the woods just yet. But he's lost a lot of blood and he'll need a blood transfusion before too much longer or..."

She didn't need to finish, they could all paint quite a vivid enough picture of such in their heads.

"He can take mine," replied Kohta, already rolling up his sleeve.

"Baka, you need to be compatible," snapped Saya. "What's your bloodtype?"

"AB Positive," he replied confidently.

"I think Takashi is a B type," said Rei with some uncertainty.

Shizuka swept some papers off a nearby countertop and searched in the lower cabinets. "I need to get some blood samples to test. They should have everything we need here."

It didn't take long for Shizuka to draw blood, as gently as she could, from everyone. There were more than enough needles lying around. Rei lay a blanket over Takashi to help trap some warmth around him while Shizuka ran the centrifuge and wrote down the results on a handy notepad. The results weren't exactly promising.

As Rei had suspected, their patient was a B type. B minus, to be specific, which was unfortunately the second rarest type of recipient blood. Both Rei and Saeko were also B's, but they were positive, neither could donate in this instance. Kohta was indeed an AB positive, as he'd suspected, a bloodtype he shared with little Alice. Saya had an A negative blood. Shizuka was an O type, the universal donor, but unfortunately was positive, and thus also not a match. However...

"... we did find just _one_ match," she concluded, resting her gaze on the last member of their party.

Zeke gave a mournful bark.

Holding the little puppy in his arms, Saito looked up fearfully as he realized he was the only one left.

"Him?" asked Kohta.

Shizuka nodded, solemn as an owl. "He's B negative, the exact same. So there's no chance of rejection. If we tried it with anyone else, there's a risk of severe hemolytic-"

"Nevermind," snapped Saya, cutting her off before she went into a boring medical lecture. They all got the point well enough. "What's... what're his chances if one of us does it?"

Shizuka paused to consider this, rubbing a finger against her chin in deep thought. "Not very good," she replied. "I mean, there's a very, very _small _chance it might work, but really-"

Unnoticed by the older kids and the blonde nurse, Saito set Zeke down on the floor, then reached up to tug on Alice's sleeve. Being silent, he usually relied on her to give voice whenever he had something to say. All he did was give a look and nod, but she took his meaning.

"Saito-kun volunteers," she announced.

Everyone turned to look at the little boy, who'd been with them barely a week, now willing to undergo a potentially dangerous procedure to help one of them. It was a surprisingly selfless act, and from a boy barely out elementary school. Under the scrutiny of his fellow survivors, Saito's head lowered instinctively, his old shyness returning, but his gaze did not drop with it, and his courage did not falter.

"Wait a minute, what if Saito's blood has some sort of... disease?" asked Kohta, grasping at straws and fully aware of it.

"Something tells me he isn't the sort who engages in risky affairs with prostitutes," intoned Saeko, with just a hint of mischief in her bland tone.

"Or shares needles with druggies," added Saya with a snort.

"We don't exactly have many other options open to us anyway, Kohta," interrupted Rei. "I think Takashi would prefer living with some horrible disease than dying here and now."

Shizuka bit her lip, well aware of the danger of infection from a blood transfusion. She was also highly hesitant to draw blood from so small a child. He'd need it just as much as their unconscious patient might, and he had less to give than most. However, she quickly did the math in her head. The odds of survival were higher for boy if he went ahead with the procedure, than their fearless leader if he didn't. She took the courageous little Saito and gently cradled him against her ample bosom, whispering "Saito-kun is a brave boy."

Saito gave a small smile at the praise. Or maybe he wasn't so young he didn't enjoy himself just a little.

She led her little volunteer over to where Takashi lay, sitting him down on a chair which she rolled over beside him, and began fetching the appropriate equipment, improvising where necessary. Fortunately, she had almost everything she needed. The problem was it would take a while for the transfusion. She said as much.

"No sense in all of us staying here then," said Kohta. "We should lock the place up and then try and find a car. Even if this works the two of them aren't going to be in any condition to walk very far on their own."

"That's a good idea," confirmed Saya. "But everyone should help in finding one. We need more eyes out there, and weapons as well. The group on the move is going to be more vulnerable. We'll need better protection."

"But who'll protect us?" asked Alice, sitting beside Saito and Takashi on the edge of the table, legs swinging back and forth.

"You'll be safe enough here," replied Kohta. "The doors are designed to hold out protest crowds, they'll stand up to a few of Them. And that's if they even come, so long as you're quiet you should be fine."

"Shizuka-sensei, can you come with us to drive the car back?" asked Rei.

The blonde nurse shook her head. "I can't leave these two alone," she said, indicating her patients. "Not even for a little while."

"But..."

"I'm sorry. Something could go wrong. I'd never be able to live with myself if I let that happen on my watch."

Rei nodded glumly, and was paradoxically annoyed they'd have to fill in for the nurse's duties, as well as her own frustrations in being unable to perform them herself. But mixing in with that annoyance was relief someone would be watching over her love and his health, and was very qualified to do so.

"Alright, let's go everyone," said Saya. "Alice, you stay behind with Shizuka-sensei."

"I need someone to stay behind and assist me," protested Shizuka, applying a fresh bandage to her patients back.

"I can do that!" protested Alice.

The blonde favored her with a warm smile. "Someone just a bit bigger, sweetie. I need someone who can reach the top shelves, if something comes up."

Saya considered that. It would do to have someone protect the them all as well. With the nurse not being a fighter, ditto for the kids, and their leader too, since he was unconscious and likely wouldn't be fighting trim anytime soon. Without a guardian they'd be little more than meals for any wandering zombie or easy prey for a marauder.

"Alright we'll split up," she declared, adjusting her glasses. "Kohta and Rei are with me. Saeko, you can stand guard here and assist Shizuka-sensei. The kids too. We'll be back soon as we have a vehicle."

"Understood," Saeko replied, hand resting on the hilt of her sword.

"Let's go people!" declared Saya, pumping a fist in the air and all but charging out of the room. Rei and Kohta exchanged a look, puzzled by her somewhat aggressive leadership style, but ultimately followed. Although the later did try to warn Saya about keeping her voice down, since They were still attracted to sound.

* * *

It was freezing outside.

Well, an exaggeration maybe, but cold enough for them to take note, at least. Rei could see her breath in front of her face, and that was usually a bad sign. Whatever sort of car they found, she hoped it had a working heating unit, because right now it was on the verge of snowing, despite the fact that it was probably only early Autumn, if not technically still Summer. Right now, Saya cursed whatever idiot had invented nuclear power, if only because all it had done was ensure humanity had a much easier job of destroying itself.

Worse, the howling winds so prevalent before had dropped away to almost nothing, leaving the city eerily silent. Rei winced as every step they took seemed to echo loudly throughout the entire landscape, and Kohta kept glancing every which way with his good eye, trying to keep as broad a field of vision as possible. It felt like they were being watched, but who could possibly be left alive to watch them in such a dead city?

"Which way?" asked Kohta, as little Zeke padded along at his feet. The white canine had come along despite the group's attempt to leave him behind at the clinic.

"This way," said Rei, indicating a turn in the street. "I see some businesses down this way, maybe we can find a garage or something."

"No that leads to residential districts," replied Saya. "We'll head south, to the edge of the city along the highway."

"I disagree. Kohta-kun, what do you think we should do?"

The one-eyed marksman opened his mouth, about to reply, but Saya cut him off.

"This isn't a democracy, Miyamoto-san," she retorted angrily. "I'm in charge now."

"Says who?"

"Do you know anyone better qualified?"

Kohta glanced nervously left and right, worried their argument might start drawing attention.

"Look, all I'm saying is that we all have opinions on this. Kohta-kun's is just as valuable as yours. In fact, he probably knows military tactics," said Rei.

"Studying WWII and being a gun otaku does not make him a genius," replied Saya hotly. "I say that a residential districts are too dangerous. Too many people, too many of Them. We go south."

"I still call for a vote. Kohta-kun?"

"Well, I..."

Pink pigtails whipped through the air like cobras as she whirled on him angrily. "Agree with me, right?" hissed Saya.

"Don't force an answer out of him! Kohta-kun you tell us your honest opinion!"

"Miyamoto-san, shut up. This is pointless and getting us nowhere."

Rei lifted up her spear, determined to make her point known. "Takagi-san, I swear, if you don't stop this I am going to-!"

A loud gunshot interrupted them both, as two pairs of eyes snapped up and in the direction of the sound.

Revealed moments later to have originated from the AR-10 rifle held in Kohta's arms. He'd aimed it skywards, not intending to hit anything, just garner their attention. As well as instantly silence them. Both of his objectives were met. Face serious and voice grim, he said "I agree with Saya-sama," answering Rei's question from earlier. "We'll head south, to the edge of the city along the highway. We may want to get moving," he added, as he took off at a brisk walk. "No telling who else heard that."

The two girls exchanged a look and quickly followed after Kohta, having no desire to remain in the area in case anyone was drawn by the gunshot.

They passed by several broken and crashed cars on the way. Typical of most cities they'd been in, the first few hours of the outbreak had been met by anarchy, with most people taking to the roads and, consequently, causing all sorts of havoc. Usually making things worse instead of better. But these cars were in poor shape, and for the most part, none were suitable for their growing needs. They needed something that fit eight, after all, and most of these barely fit five.

Finally, Rei spotted something. "There," she declared softly, pointing a finger.

At first thinking it was a parking lot, the three of them made their way over a rise and around a short fence separating it from a nearby business to get a better view. To their surprise, it was an entire dealership stretched out before them. The main building was a few rows back, the bright white letters proclaiming it as the OYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION. The first 'T' lay on the ground in front of the main doors. And although worse the wear for time neglected, as well as damage, to the three survivors it was everything they could have hoped for. Less than a block away was their salvation.

"Well ladies, I believe it's time to go shopping," said Kohta cheerfully as he took the lead. Things were starting to look up.

"Make sure we find something gas-fed," Saya reminded him. "The EMP will have knocked out any of those hybrid or electric types."

"Oh yeah. We'll have to replace the engine as well," Kohta pointed out. "Let's hope they have an auto garage."

"Might have better luck with a horse and carriage at this point," muttered Rei.

Saya whirled on her angrily. "Do you know how to ride a horse? Or where to find that sort of thing?"

"Well, no but..."

"Then shut up," Saya muttered, turning on her heel again and marching down the street.

Rei bristled angrily, fingers clenching around her naginata's haft, but ultimately, she let the comment slide. Saya was just over-compensating for the loss of their regular leader. She was a poor substitute and they all knew it, she had no tact and no charisma to lead them, nevermind her intelligence. But a fight for dominance now would be pointless. So she decided to be the bigger woman and just followed after Kohta and Saya, keeping her tongue in check.

"What about an RV?" asked Kohta, trying to break up some of the tension between the two women on his team. "Any chance we could find one of those?"

Saya pondered that. It would be nice to have home and transport rolled into one, like the Mimei had been. But... "We won't find one here, but if we spot one later on we can swap."

Moments later, they'd arrived. They saw no signs of Them, but there were lots of hiding places they could've been, just out of sight. Under and behind the myriad colored cars, for one thing, or hiding in the shadows of the building. Most of the vehicles were still there, though a few empty spots indicated where people had already tried to steal some. _They wouldn't have gotten far before the EMP fried them_, Saya mused. But most of them were still here, which didn't surprise her.

Evidently it puzzled Rei, however. "Why haven't they been stolen already?" she asked aloud. "Wouldn't cars be valued commodities right about now?"

Saya shook her head. "They would, but right now there's probably more cars than people who can use them."

With that grim fact hanging over their heads, Kohta did a quick sweep of the building, and after a moment, announced he'd found the keys to the ones on display. And also no signs of any people, living or dead.

"So what're we looking for?" he asked, holding up the box in question. Thankfully all the keys were labeled. "Minivan? Pick-up?"

"A bus'd be ideal," mused Rei aloud. "A pity they don't make those double-decker types like they have in England. We could use it as a mobile two story home."

"Let's see what they have first," interrupted Saya, grabbing some keys at random out of Kohta's box.

They checked a few models that the keys took them too, the license places making them easy to find. However, most of them simply weren't the kind of vehicle they were looking for. Sedans and minis weren't nearly big enough for all of them. Kohta suggested two drivers, but readily admitted his own skill at such was questionable. No, their only real driver was nurse Marikawa, they had to find a vehicle big enough.

This was the line of thought being followed when Kohta turned down a row and spotted _it_.

_It_ was an enormous, dark-green, and very sturdy looking pick-up truck. A Toyota Tundra 2005, according to the info sheet in the side of the window. A used car but still in good shape. It had four doors and a second row of seats behind the first, and even better, a long bed in the back suitable for carrying either supplies or more members of the team. It was perfect. He waved Saya and Rei over.

"Keys?"

"Got 'em," he replied, setting the box down and unlocking the door. He needed to practically hop up to reach the seat, it was so high off the ground, but once he settled in, he gave a wide grin. When this thing came careening down the road, it was going to do some damage. Eagerly he slipped the key into the ignition and gave it a turn.

Splutter-splutter-splutter-splutter-wheeeeeeeze.

He turned it off, frowning, then gave it another try.

Splutter-splutter-splutter-splutter-wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze.

Still nothing.

"Engine's dead," he announced, hopping out of the vehicle. Saya and Rei were already making their way to the front as he reached under the seat and popped the hood.

Saya took a good look, frowning in thought. "Well the engine wasn't on, so I'd say most of the internals should be fine. Just needs a replacement."

"There's an auto garage around the back," replied Rei. "Should have what we need."

"Right," replied the Takagi heiress, hopping into the seat in place of Kohta. "You two-"

A low moan cut through the air.

The three survivors glanced up as a trio of undead workmen stumbled out of the auto garage Kohta had indicated, their workman's uniforms stained in blood and dotted with wounds, one of which had been so badly torn his ribcage was visible. They all stumbled towards the three of them, the shambling, steady pace of the walking dead. They continued to weakly moan as their jaws hung slack, no doubt eager to taste more live, human flesh. One of Them staggered more slowly behind the first two, dragging his broken left foot behind him.

Kohta pulled back the action on his rifle, doing a quick mental inventory of his bullets, but Rei smoothly slipped in front of him, blocking his aim with a downward wave of her hand.

"Save your bullets, we don't want to make too much noise..." said Rei, angling her naginata. Beside her, Saya slipped her wakizashi out of its sheath, slipping into a combative stance. Kohta frowned but nodded in agreement, preparing his rifle anyway in case one of the girls got into too much trouble. He took a step back and let them have this one.

Rei waited, watching her three opponents, and timed her attack perfectly. When they were just the right distance away she lunged forward, spinning her naginata over her head and swinging out with an expert slash that cut clean through one's neck, decapitating him, and carried through to the next one, neatly bifurcating him at the stomach, sending his top and bottom half crashing to the ground. The top half immediately tried to sit up, unable to comprehend its sudden lack of limbs, and Rei smoothly stepped, pivoted, and thrust downwards with her bladed weapon, impaling the undead monster through its skull and making it well and truly dead.

The third one went for Saya by virtue of proximity, and the pink-haired genius also waited until the ideal moment to strike. Unfortunately, her skill with the sword still wasn't quite on par with the likes of Rei and Saeko, and when she thrust forward with the tip of her blade, it missed. She'd been aiming for his eye, but all it managed to do was cut a wide slice across his cheek and ear, doing nothing but superficial damage. She tried to pull back for another attack, but he gave a low moan and grabbed at her. One hand missed, but the other grasped the sleeve of her shirt and hung on tightly, not letting her escape.

Angrily, she swung around with the hilt of her sword, bashing him in the face with it. It didn't quite break his skull, but it evidently hit hard enough to throw him off of her. His filthy claws raked at her arm as he stumbled backwards, tearing her sleeve and cutting into her pale skin. Ignoring the pain, Saya shifted position, knowing she had to finish this quickly. This time she lifted up her left hand as well to loosely hold the front of the blade, using her fingers and thumb to guide the tip, while her right arm provided the thrust as she pushed it right through the zombie's eye socket, killing him. She stepped back as he collapsed onto the ground before her.

Kohta was at her side in an instant, checking her injury, but she shrugged him off, taking only a moment to examine her ruined shirt before she tore off the sleeve entirely. The unexpected workout had helped to stimulate blood flow, and it was staving off the cold for now.

But the scratches still stung horribly.

"Saya...?"

"It's okay, he missed," muttered Saya, clutching at her arm. "Just scraped me with his nails. Probably never cut those things, filthy..."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" he asked, worried. "We don't kno-"

"I'm fine!" she spat angrily. "Now let's get this car and go before more of them show up, or is that alright with you, General Hirano?"

He jerked back as if stung, and Saya stalked away from him.

"Now, as I was saying," replied the Takagi heiress, hopping into the seat of their chosen vehicle. "You two push, I'll guide it," she said, shifting the vehicle into neutral, keeping her foot on the brake for the moment.

Rei frowned up at her. "Why you?" she asked.

"Because I'm lightest, that's why. Or would you rather we push while Kohta-kun drives?"

The marksman, having resigned himself to base labor, was already positioned by the rear of the vehicle, hands firmly pressed against the side and ready to heave, and was just waiting for the girls to make up their minds. Muttering something darkly about her big brain weighing her down, Rei took up position beside him, and silently wished she'd changed out of her kimono. It wasn't the most practical clothing to be wearing for labor like this. Thankfully it was a mostly flat surface, and so between the three of them, they managed to get the car into the auto garage in virtually no time.

* * *

Shizuka had excused herself to remove her blood-stained rubber gloves and clean herself up a bit, washing away some of the blood in the sink of the clinic's restroom. The transfusion was underway, and the gunshot wound was largely fixed. She'd also tended to the fresh bruise on his jaw as best she could. At this point there wasn't much left she could do, it was up to her two patients to determine what happened. That and plenty of fluids and rest, of course. Doctors rarely went wrong with that sort of treatment.

She returned to the emergency room, watching as crimson fluid flowed out of Saito, sitting calmly in the chair, into a long tube, through a machine, and into Takashi's arm through an IV feed. It wasn't an ideal situation but she'd managed to jury-rig it together pretty well with what she had. Shizuka had also done her best to cover up Takashi's gunshot wound, but it was going to leave a scar in all likelihood. Nothing could be done about that.

"Are they going to be okay?" asked Alice. By the countertop, Saeko looked up, her expression also betraying concern.

Shizuka nodded. "They're through the worst now. Just need to make sure they rest."

Saito gave a little thumbs up with his free hand, indicating he was fine, bringing smiles to the women present.

"Shizuka-sensei?" intoned Saeko. "We should begin gathering together whatever we're taking. Once they arrive with our new vehicle we won't have a great deal of time to leave before someone hears our new vehicle. I suggest we use the garbage bags to carry everything that isn't fragile."

"Oh! Right, yes, of course, I'll see what we can take..."

The two older women began to take inventory of the clinic, checking every room they could. Some drugs they packed, some tools for Shizuka's medical bag, some bandages and adhesives. They couldn't take quite everything but if they ran into future troubles along the way, well, she could fix most everything that wasn't too serious now. Any nicks and scrapes they picked up, any bruises they acquired. There wouldn't be any way to perform a major surgery, but hopefully nothing that drastic would ever happen.

The Busujima swordswoman flitted away to stand guard in the lobby, wanting to keep watch for when the others got back. As well as ensure the barricade was secure. Which left Shizuka in the small emergency room with Alice, Saito, and their unconscious leader.

Alice ran up to her as soon as she entered. "Shizuka-sensei? Saito-kun says he's feeling tired."

The blonde nurse leaned in to check on him. He did look a little drowsy. "Is that right?" she asked.

Saito shook his head, adopting a brave expression, but Shizuka could see through it in a heartbeat. His eyes were drooping, and he didn't seem to be able to focus well. Then again, maybe he was just bored. "Well, we're nearly done. Hang in there just a little longer, okay?"

He nodded firmly.

It still puzzled her that he couldn't speak. Gently she sat down on the padded table, careful not to disturb her other patient as she leaned in to examine Saito more closely. "May I take a look?" she asked, indicating his neck with her hand.

The little boy seemed to hesitate, but seeing Alice watching as well, gently nodded.

"What are you doing?" asked the little redhead curiously.

"I'm just going to give a quick examination," Shizuka said, doing just that.

"Is Shizuka-sensei going to find out why Saito-kun doesn't talk?"

"If she can," the blonde replied, gently brushing Saito's neck with her fingertips. He squirmed a little, probably ticklish, but tried his best to remain still. "Things is, I can't find any physical injury. No damage to the larynx or throat. And there isn't any sign of skull trauma..." she murmured, trailing off as she lifted her hands from his scalp. When she saw both kids looking at her quizzically, she clarified. "That means a blow to the head," she explained, lightly wrapping her knuckles against her own skull for emphasis.

Saito shook his head firmly, seemingly denying such.

"So right now its most likely because of some sort of mental trauma. Something Saito-kun saw..."

Green eyes flicked away, and Shizuka grimaced, the expression alien on her pretty features. So that was it.

"So it's likely psychological."

"Psy-ko-loh-gee-cal?" repeated Alice, stumbling over the long word and trying to sound it out.

"Mm. Means it's in the mind somewhere. It's called selective mutism. Usually happens when you see or experience something... horrible. Something so scary or violent you just..." she trailed off, realizing she was scaring the kids. And herself, she realized with a shiver. She threw her arms around herself to try and bring back some warmth.

"Poor Saito-kun," murmured Alice, holding him tight.

Saito grimaced, gently pushing the little girl off, his body language closed, defensive. Evidently he didn't like the idea of them pitying him. Or more likely, didn't want anyone to further delve into whatever had happened to him.

"Is there any chance you can help him?" asked Alice, not offended at all by his behavior. She seemed more interested in what Shizuka had to say at the moment.

"I'm not very good with mind problems," said Shizuka morosely. "It's all so complex in here," she said, ruffling Saito's thick, dark hair. It brought a tiny smile to his lips. "I dunno. Maybe we'll have better luck fixing it later. But I don't to risk upsetting Saito-kun at the moment. So right now we'll wait, okay?"

"Okay!"

"In the meantime, I think we're finished... Saito-kun was very brave," she repeated, gently drawing the needle from his arm out and covering it with a swath of bandage. She wanted to give him a lollipop or some other candy as well, as much as for the sugar as a reward for his courage. But she hadn't been able to find any in the building during her search with Saeko. She'd have to make up for that later. She left the machine on the countertop, along with all the needles and other things they'd used. She wanted to clean them up and properly dispose of them but she just didn't have the energy after all they'd done today. It had been so hectic.

Now that the excitement had passed from the escape and the fights at the stadium, and she had done all she could for Takashi, weariness was washing over her, and all she wanted to do was rest. In fact, she was starting to think it might be a good idea if she take a nap. Especially if they expected her to drive whatever vehicle they found.

Making sure her wards were comfortable, she left her still unconscious patient in the care of Alice and Saito, who promised to be quiet, and made her way to the lobby to let Saeko know of her intentions. Plus, the lobby had very big, comfy sofas, and she stretched out across one, draping a blanket over her voluptuous figure to keep warm as she lay down to nap. She grimaced as something jabbed hard into her breast, however, and shifted, reaching into the pocket of her jacket to find the offending object.

To her surprise, it was the pistol she'd taken back at the stadium. Kohta had identified it as an IMI Desert Eagle, one of the most powerful handguns in existence. She'd completely forgotten she'd even taken it with her. Or to put the safety on, she realized with a shiver. Gingerly, she did just that, then set it down on an end table nearby, laying back down again.

"Shizuka-sensei?"

The blonde nurse lifted her head, her eyes already half closed. Saeko was standing beside her makeshift bed. "Uweh?"

Saeko dipped her head in formal fashion. "We are grateful for all you have done for our health. Thank you for watching over us."

Shizuka smiled wearily, laying her head back and drifted off into a world of dreams. After the waking nightmare of the past few days, it was a most welcome respite.

* * *

It took nearly an hour of careful work, and Saya's reading the nearby manuals, but the three of them managed. Eventually, Kohta leapt up, grabbed the hood, and slammed it shut, offering a quiet prayer to whatever deity might be listening that this worked.

"Okay, gun it now!" he called out, throwing a thumb's up over the hood to the car's current driver.

Hesitantly, Saya Takagi turned the key in the ignition.

Splutter-splutter-vrrrroooom.

"YES!"

Kohta and Rei both gave a cheer as Saya thumped the wheel soundly. "Alright, you two, load up! Let's get back to the clinic quick as possible!"

Rei climbed into the backseat and strapped in, while Kohta slid into the navigators position beside Saya. The pink-haired genius took a few minutes to fumble with the unfamiliar manual transmission lever, finally managing to get the car moving. Unfortunately, she had it still going forward, and only narrowly hit the brakes before they rammed straight into a steel column. As it was, the tundra did collide with a workbench, knocking over a few wrenches and screwdrivers, scattering the metal all over the floor.

Grimacing, Saya switched gears and more tentatively put pressure on the accelerator again, slowly backing the car up.

In the back seat, naginata resting across her lap, Rei twisted around to peer out the window. "You're clear for another ten feet or so, keep going."

Finally, they managed to back the truck up and Saya shifted to forward, pulling them out of the dealership and towards the open road. It was very slow going, but they didn't want to take any chances with an accident. The noise seemed to be deafening, but in truth, they saw only a few gray figures stumble out of the shadows after the noise of the truck, and none were near fast enough to keep up with them.

However, it was starting to get reddish-orange on the horizon, and that meant it might get dark soon. And they didn't hold out much hopes that the truck's high beams would still be working the way the engine was.

Saya maneuvered around an overturned car and pushed a little harder on the accelerator. The truck roared, jumped, and then slowed, and Saya bit back a curse as she changed gears again. The car began to move forward more smoothly this time, much to her vast relief. She frowned as she sensed the eyes of the other two on her.

"I thought you said you knew how to drive?"

"Shut up," she grumbled. "It's one thing to read about it, another to do it."

Wisely, Kohta decided not to say anything, and simply kept his good eye on the road to watch for obstacles or trouble. It was a fairly long drive back to the clinic.

* * *

The sun was just starting to set on the horizon when Saeko heard the faint rumble of wheels and an engine in the distance.

Her attention, previously at a low hum so she could remain watchful but also relax a little, ramped up to eleven as she slipped to her feet, hand brushing against the hilt of her katana. She eased very slowly towards the glass doors, remaining out of sight as she peered out. As she suspected, in the distance a vehicle was approaching, a bright green pickup truck not too dissimilar to the color of a Fujimi High School uniform. A big one too. She remained wary as it drove into the parking lot. The glasses were tinted and the light was all wrong, she couldn't make out who was inside, and she braced herself in case those who first emerged might prove to be enemies.

The vehicle stopped in the parking lot, flashed its lights once... twice... three times. Saeko nodded as the driver maneuvered the vehicle around, facing the rear instead and began to back-up. That was the pre-arranged signal she'd made with Saya, this could only be the rest of their family.

Releasing a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, she deftly she slipped over to Shizuka's side, shaking the blonde woman's shoulder.

"Shizuka-sensei," she whispered. "Time to get up. We have to move now."

The older woman struggled back to wakefulness with all the grace and elegance of an angry child, rubbing at her eyes to try and clear the sleep from them. Satisfied she was at least rising, Saeko slipped out to find the others, making sure Saito, Alice, and their leader were prepared to depart. She found them all still in the emergency room, the little ones sitting on the ground playing some sort of game she didn't quite follow, her paramour still unconscious on the table.

"Little ones," she said, gaining their attention. "Be ready to go, the others have returned."

Their game quickly forgotten, Alice and Saito were on their feet in minutes, packs on their backs and ready to do as they were told by their older sisters and brothers. They followed Saeko out into the lobby, where Shizuka was already on her feet and Saya and Rei had rejoined them.

"Alright, pack up everything we can carry, we found a really big truck so don't hesitate now. Quick as you can, that noise is bound to attract notice," Saya instructed, coordinating from the center of the lobby where the others could take and put things, most of which ended up being stored in the back of the truck. Alice and Saito were most prominently involved in this, while Kohta climbed up atop of the trucks roof to keep watch. Shizuka and Saeko, being as delicate as they possibly could, helped to move their unconscious leader. They couldn't find a stretcher, so they each put an arm over their shoulders and carried him with his feet dragging on the ground. Shizuka had to lean forward so her added height did not unbalance them.

"Is that everything?" asked Saya, once Alice and Saito had cleared out the lobby.

"Mmhmm!" the little redhead confirmed.

Beside her, Saito gave a thumb's up.

"Alright, Shizuka-sensei, get your patient onboard then let's go. No sense hanging about," Saya called out, making her way back to the exit. A strong hand grasped her wrist, however, stopping her in mid-stride. Saya glanced up, it was Shizuka.

"What happened here?" asked the blonde nurse, indicating her ruined sleeve. Saya frowned, trying to pull her arm free, intent to say it was nothing, but the blonde woman was surprisingly strong, and gently tugged up the sleeve to expose the scratches where the undead workmen had attacked her. None were quite deep enough to be called cuts, but they still stung fiercely, and Saya bit her lip when Shizuka inspected them with her fingertips.

"You should get this washed before we go," said Shizuka. "I'll prepare a bandage."

"You're not my Mom, you can't tell me what to do!" replied Saya hotly.

Shizuka Marikawa normally had a very sweet, innocent... almost childishly naïve personality, mixed in with hints of a sultry and sensual flirtatious side not far beneath the surface. But when it came to her medical profession, she was as intelligent and serious as Kohta Hirano was when it came to firearms. She glared down at Saya with an unusual fierce scowl, and for once, the pink-haired genius shut up and did as she was told.

A chill wind passed, and everyone gave a shudder. As if someone had just walked over their graves.

Or Hell itself had frozen over.

* * *

Saya was back before much longer, in a fresh long-sleeved shirt, her injury bandaged underneath and out of sight. No one had seen her little outburst with Shizuka, and she preferred to keep it that way. It was mortifying enough just to think about, being treated like a spoiled toddler.

She made her way to the side door, glancing up at their marksman on the roof. "Anything?"

"Clear in all directions," he reported. "Oh, I had an idea though. Can you get out the flashlights?"

Kohta hopped down from the roof to land beside Saya as she obliged, digging them out of their supplies in the back. He took two of their bigger flashlights and some duct tape and carefully applied both to the hood of the car, roughly where the real lights were positioned underneath.

"I figured we can mostly leave these off when we drive during the day, but when its really dark out like now, we can stop the car, flip these on," he did just that, "And keep going until the batteries need to be changed. What do you think?" he asked.

Overall, it wasn't pretty, but it did look like it might do in a pinch. Saya was genuinely impressed with Kohta's imaginative thinking.

"Good job," she said. She glanced back, but everyone else was distracted, and so she felt safe giving him a light peck on the cheek. She still wasn't comfortable with public displays of affection. Neither was he, for that matter, he instantly went red, though he maintained enough composure to otherwise be quiet as he took his seat.

Packing finished, everyone piled into the Toyota Tundra, which fit them all with space to spare. They'd really lucked out finding the truck. They'd even managed to find one of those custom overhangs for the back of the tundra and secured it into place, so anything or anyone in the back would be somewhat shielded from the elements. This is where they loaded the still unconscious Takashi Komuro, laying him out on a couple of padded blankets. Rei also decided to sit with him in the back, partially because her naginata didn't fit inside of the narrow seats of the truck the way her old M1A1 rifle had.

Saeko and Kohta were in the middle seats, along with Alice and Zeke resting in her lap. Kohta sat in the middle, despite being the largest of the three of them he didn't want to deny either girl the chance to see out the windows during their journey.

That left Saya and Saito up front with their driver, who was settling into her seat now. Saito was in a pull-out seat in between the navigator's spot and the driver's. Shizuka wanted him close in case he felt poorly.

Thankfully, Shizuka's original vehicle, long abandoned back at Fujimi High, had been a stick shifter as well. She almost adjusted to it more easily than most of the previous vehicles she'd been forced to drive.

"Everyone strapped in?" she called out.

Everyone nodded, having buckled in. After surviving zombies, cultists, bad weather, starvation and worse, the last thing they wanted to die from as a car accident.

Shizuka turned the key in the ignition, and the truck roared to life.

"Here we go!" she announced cheerfully, shifting the gears and pulling out of the parking lot. She wasn't exactly going ninety, but it was way faster than walking, and a lot more comfortable. Sure, the radio wouldn't be receiving any music, the heater was off, the lights were improvised. But like the Mimei had once been, it was a new 'sort of' home for the unlikely group of refugees. And it was all theirs. As darkness descended over the nation of Japan, in one tiny corner of the dead world, a small band of survivors, a family... slowly drove onwards towards the horizon and where Fate would lead them.

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**I go on record reminding my readers I'm not an expert on medicine or transfusions or the like, and a lot of what happened above is purely for the sake of drama. Please just roll with it? Thank you. At the time of writing this, they hadn't come up with the character's blood types.


	12. 11 Skeletonization

**_XI – Skeletonization_**

"_Just as there is no loss of basic energy in the  
__Universe, so no thought or action is without its  
__effects, present or ultimate, seen or unseen, felt  
__or unfelt_."

- **Norman Cousins**.

* * *

_Takashi awoke to the sounds of screaming._

_His head snapped up, but it was as if in a daze, everything was muted and whitewashed. Colors weren't as sharp, sounds weren't as clear. He was sitting in the back of a shaking truck, and as he moved to stand up he almost fell flat on his face as it shuddered underneath his feet. He heard the familiar, sickening crunch of bodies underneath the tires as he grabbed the far wall in an effort to steady himself._

_"What's happening?" he shouted. He heard a muffled boom from nearby and jerked his head up to see Kohta firing his rifle out of the nearby window, downing one of Them as they came on the offensive. Despite this, They were everywhere, it looked like they'd driven right into a mob of the undead monsters. They pressed in around the vehicle from every angle, a sea of rotting faces and gnashing teeth. He saw Saeko was there, and Rei following close behind, their sharp blades slicing through gray flesh as Kohta's AR-10 rang out._

_Three more undead bodies pressed in around Rei, two of which she took down, but another grabbed her arms, preventing her from utilizing her naginata before a bullet hit her zombie attacker right in the middle of his head, turning it into goo._

_Takashi climbed up over the back of the truck, slamming a fist down against the miniature window separating him from the driver's compartment._

_"Let's get out of here!" he shouted, clutching at his pained side even as he stood up._

_"The engine died on us!" Shizuka shouted back, still trying vainly to turn the key. "We're stuck!"_

_Takashi cursed and stumbled as the vehicle shook, two more of Them were trying to pry open the doors. He fumbled through the contents of the truck's bed, finding and grabbing his iron kanbo, and swung hard, first shattering glass, then the heads on the other side of it._

_He glanced back to see how everyone else was doing. A quick headcount revealed an unexpected absence. "Where's Saya?"_

_Kohta's good eye widened, and he looked rapidly left and right, unable to spot familiar pink locks. "Saya?"_

_A gray head bobbed up behind Kohta on the opposite side of the truck, bright fuscia pigtails now a faded bubblegum in color. Before he could react, the former Takagi heiress lunged forward, sinking teeth deep into the back of his leg, just above his foot. He gave a strangled scream as the undead horde swarmed in, drawn by his death cries._

_"Hold on I'm coming!" shouted Takashi, swinging hard and smashing another head. Alas, more pressed in, and he was forced to fall back or be overwhelmed. Rei was at his side a moment later, blood staining both her weapon and her clothes. She was uninjured, but exhausted, the two of them wouldn't be able to reach Kohta together any better than the one of them would alone._

_Besides, even if they could, there was no saving him now. And the look in his eye told them Kohta knew it as well._

_"Get out of here! Go!"_

_"Kohta-kun!" screamed Alice, even as Shizuka carried her to safety. She reached out, as if by sheer force of will she could pluck Kohta from danger, but it was too late, and they all knew it._

_The undead monster that was once Saya dug her teeth in deeper, and Kohta winced in pain. He stumbled, collapsing onto his knees, barely managing to hold onto his rifle. The pain was excruciating, but he found himself disconnected from it. The freshly made zombie continued to rip at his Achilles tendon, gnawing at the flesh of his foot, but he ignored her, fumbling at the pockets of his flak jacket. He tugged out a grenade he'd been saving for a situation like this, and pulled the pin without hesitation._

_"I love you," he said, grabbing a fistful of the zombie's jacket and pulling the thing that had been Saya close as he released the safety lever, holding the now armed explosive tightly in his fist. A heartbeat later, the car was engulfed in a huge explosion, as were Kohta, Saya, and most of Them in the immediate vicinity._

_The blast nearly knocked Takashi flat on his face, but between Rei's support and a nearby lamp post, he managed to stay upright. But his legs turned to jelly as he took in the awful horror. Saya and Kohta were gone. So was their ride, for that matter. And more of the horde was closing in on them already, blocking off exits and cutting off retreat. They also formed a wedge between Shizuka and the children and the other three survivors. Saeko tried to fight her way through, but there were far too many, and some of the farthest were closing in on the children. She had to retreat back to Rei and Takashi's side._

_"This way!" cried Shizuka, setting Alice down to let the little girl run beside her. Zeke followed close by her heels, as did Saito._

_Before they could get very far, one of Them struck. A monster missing its legs, it had crawled forward beside a car towards the conflict, and struck when they ran past. It had missed Shizuka's leg, but grabbed a hold of Alice's slender ankle and held on tightly, pulling the terrified little redhead towards its gnashing teeth. She stumbled and fell onto her butt, kicking out with her free foot, smashing it against the zombie's face, but it was relentless, and within seconds, he'd bit down hard into her foot, almost taking her big toe clean off._

_"ALICE!"_

_Saito screamed her name and leapt forward, swinging his camera on its strap like a flail, and smashing the heavy end against the zombie's head. Alas, his tiny eight-year-old frame lacked the strength and leverage necessary to do any lasting damage. All he managed to do was gain himself attention in lieu of Alice, and in seconds, he was the one being wrapped up in a deadly embrace. Rotted teeth sunk into his shoulder as Saito wailed. Three more of them descended on the terror stricken boy as he gave a wordless cry of anguish, though his sacrifice had given Alice time to escape, the little girl yanked to safety by Shizuka._

_The blonde nurse held onto Alice tightly with one hand, the other searching for the pocket of her jacket. Little Zeke was barking up a frenzy by her foot as she finally found the desert eagle pistol she'd kept with her since the Black Sun stadium._

_"Don't look! Don't look! Dontlookdontlookdontlook!" she cried, fumbling with the gun in her unfamiliar hands, pulling back the hammer and taking aim. Her first shot missed, but the second hit dead center of Saito's head. Shizuka felt herself grow sick at the sight, as what remained of Saito collapsed in the arms of his attackers. Alice continued to wail into Shizuka's bosom as the older woman clutched the sobbing child to her. The little girl hadn't looked, but she was not a fool, she knew well enough what had happened. Their last true innocent destroyed, the entire group falling to pieces. They were _all_ done for now._

_Shizuka dragged Alice away, still clinging to her, and settled against the iron gate of a city park. The gate swung open, unlocked, and the two of them made their way across the grass towards a stone bench along the path. The horde had stopped for perhaps half a moment to devour the body of the small boy who'd given his life to save them, but this would be a mere appetizer for their hunger. The main course would be the two of them._

_Bright red blood splattered on the grass as Alice wailed, fresh pain from her injured foot now mixing with her grief for losing Saito. She couldn't walk very far, and Shizuka hadn't the strength to carry her. Even if she did, one look at Alice's watery eyes told the blonde she knew full well what came next._

_"Mommy..." cried little Alice, tears dripping from her cheeks._

_Shizuka's breath hitched in her throat. She'd failed to protect the children. But at least she could make Alice's end less painful. She fumbled awkwardly with her other pocket and pulling out a small box, her hands slick with crimson fluid and her vision marred by tears. She didn't have any choice any longer. There was no other way out. So she was glad, ultimately, she'd taken this along with her. A single syringe and enough morphine to kill a horse, should they come across such a beast in their travels. She filled up the syringe with at least three times the maximum dosage she'd ever normally permit a patient to receive, let alone a child, and tapped it to remove any air bubbles._

_"This is going to hurt... I'm sorry, Alice-chan..."_

_The little redhead nodded, clinging to the older blonde tightly, and Shizuka was as delicate as she could be, plunging the needle into her arm. A second dose she administered to herself. It stung like fire, but the pain was brief, and the euphoria that followed would more than make up for it._

_Shizuka knew the signs, of course. Her heart rate slowed, her body felt lethargic and weak. She lay down on the cold sidewalk, heedless of the walking dead stumbling their way towards her. But Shizuka did not feel the slightest hint of fear. Her heart was going to stop in a few minutes, and even if it didn't, she wasn't going to feel a thing when they got to her. Alice had already stopped moving, was more leaning against her now than holding her, and Shizuka brushed a hand through her hair gently._

_There, resting in the warm sunlight, holding onto the little girl, her eyes drifted closed and her last breath slipped out of her body._

_Meanwhile, the rest of the dwindling group of survivors staggered down a back alley and into a wide stretch of road. They hated to abandon their own but there was no way they could save them, not now. Takashi had tried to form some vague plan to circle around from another angle, and tried to make his way around another building's corner and back to the kids. He'd nearly walked right into another small horde of ugly faces and gnashing teeth. Now down to just Saeko, Takashi, and Rei, the trio turned as one and continued to run towards an open stretch of road, heading towards some high-rise apartment buildings._

_"There, fire ladder!" shouted Takashi, pointing his club in the direction of their salvation. He didn't look back, he couldn't. He couldn't even think about what he'd just witnessed. To do so now would be to open the floodgates of madness, and he had to stay strong. He had to survive. And he had to protect those precious to him._

_Unfortunately, up ahead was just as dangerous as behind. Stumbling out of the backdoor to a restaurant, a pudgy zombie moaned weakly as it grabbed at him. Takashi stumbled backwards, swinging out his club, but only bruised the monster's side, not doing any significant damage. And also failing to dislodge it as it gripped his coat tightly. A blade whistled through the air, severing their attacker's head, but the respite was brief as more cooking staff came stumbling out of the doorway towards them. Saeko took out two with quick, strong slashes of her katana, and Rei speared a third as it prepared to attack Takashi. However, the fourth one, a rather thin man dressed as a waiter, slipped underneath Saeko's next swing and tightly grabbed her slender waist. She twisted to try and shake him off, wincing as he heel slipped and she felt a sharp pain shoot up her ankle, unable to shake him off and unable to bring her blade to bear. Before she could recover he took a great bite of her side, teeth sinking in through the thin material of her t-shirt and not stopping until they reached her ribcage. The Busujima swordswoman immediately lashed out with her katana, severing the undead monster's head, but the damage was done. She stumbled, dropping to one knee with her injured ankle unable to support her, and looked up at Rei and Takashi with a pained expression. They all knew what was coming next._

_"I'm sorry, my love," she whispered, blood already staining her lips red. Without hesitation, she realigned her katana in her hands, holding the hilt in both hands and angling it upwards._

_"NO!"_

_Saeko gave one last, sweet smile, then lunged forward, the sharp tip of her Muramata blade penetrating under her chin and going deep into her head. Takashi looked away in anguish, feeling tears coming to his eyes. He did not protest as Rei tugged him away from the gruesome scene, since his scream had already drawn more attention._

_"Come on!" she shouted, pushing through some double doors into an office building. They ran for the stairs. Two security guards, long dead, tried to halt their advance, but Takashi and Rei plowed right through them, killing one and sending the other careening off the stairs to land in a heap on the bottom floor._

_They circled the stairs going up one floor, two, three, four. Each one seemed to have more of Them waiting, and every time they thought they had reached the top, there was another set of stairs going ever onward. Finally they hit a doorway, and saw the sign that read 'Roof.' Takashi wasted no time in opening the door, shouting for Rei to get through as he held it open for her, watching the approaching horde stagger their way up the stairs after them. They slammed the door shut, and Takashi slid the bolt into place, but it was flimsy. A determined assault by Them was going to break it down in no time. As if answering his thoughts, the door shuddered, and Takashi backed away, club upraised. He'd fight to his last to protect Rei, he'd fight and fight and keep fighting until..._

_He glanced back, spotting Rei standing near the edge of the roof. The wind rustled through her ginger locks and the silk of her kimono as she turned to regard Takashi solemnly. Her naginata fell from nerveless fingers to clatter against the roof._

_The door shuddered again, and Takashi made his way to her side to protect her._

_"Takashi..."_

_"It's okay," he said. "It's... it's okay. It'll _be_ okay. We'll... we'll... damnit we can't die here!"_

_"Takashi...!"_

_"I can't let you die here!"_

_"TAKASHI!"_

_He stopped, looking up at her. His frantic thoughts subsided, though they still jumped from idea to idea, unable to remain completely focused on a single thought._

_"I couldn't do it. I couldn't save you. You don't deserve this, Rei. We should've lived so much longer than this."_

_"We lived long enough to say what's important. To realize what's important," she said. "We've been running for ages now, let's just stop."_

Stop? That didn't make any_..._

_His gaze followed hers, as Rei's ruby orbs flicked to the edge of the roof, then down at the streets below. Very, very far below. They must've been at least nine stories up now, though he'd lost count in the mad dash. Her meaning hit only a few moments later, and he almost staggered under the implications, his eyes wide._

_"Rei...!"_

_"I think this is the final chapter of our story," she said softly, turning her head to watch the sun set on the horizon. Appropriate symbolism, considering they seemed to have come to the end of their journey. Desperately, Takashi tried to think of something. Some way out, some plan, something. Anything. But he couldn't. Right now they only had two choices: die slowly, ripped apart and eaten by zombies, or take the quick and painless death of jumping from the top of a nine story building. And with that, all the fight drained out of him._

_"Maybe we'll meet again in another lifetime," he said wearily, gazing out at the horizon._

_"We could both come back as butterflies," Rei suggested, half seriously. He smiled at that, it sounded nice._

_The door shuddered again, and then burst open. Three of Them came stumbling out, arms upraised, moaning weakly as they stumbled towards their food. They would never stop. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Takashi and Rei looked back... and let go..._

_Their fingers interlaced, and they stepped up onto the edge, sharing one last look between each other. No more words needed to be said, as they both leaned forward, and let gravity claim them._

_The wind whistled past Takashi's ears as the pavement rushed up to meet him, and he tightened his grip on Rei's hand._

May we both come back as butterflies._.._

* * *

**Japanese Countryside  
****0550 hours,  
****Z Day + 37**

A low groan escaped Takashi's lips as Rei leaned over, resting a hand on his shoulder. He continued to toss and turn in his sleep, and she was reluctant to wake him, even though it was obvious he wasn't sleeping well. 

More nightmares. Idly she glanced up, checking out the surroundings outside of the vehicle. They were still on the highway, travelling northwest. They hadn't seen any vehicles or buildings in a long time now, and she saw that half of the crew was still asleep in their seats. Even Rei was starting to nod off a bit. She hadn't been able to sleep all night. Between concern for Takashi, and the more practical difficulty of sleeping in the back of a moving vehicle with a very hard, metal bed, she hadn't caught a wink.

Fortunately, their driver was still alert enough to keep her wits about her and was keeping a steady pace for the vehicle as they drove out along the highway. It'd been a long time since last they'd seen any other cars abandoned on the road, though they'd passed numerous signs indicating turn off points and potential destinations. She wasn't even quite sure where she was going, only that stopping in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere was a very bad idea.

However, they _were_ starting to run low on gas.

Reaching over the slumbering form of Saito, Shizuka gently nudged the shoulder of her navigator, earning a groan from Saya as she lifted her head and rubbed her eyes, adjusting her glasses.

"We need to find a gas station nearby, can you get the map out?"

"No need," interrupted Kohta softly, evidently still awake. The dim light from the console reflected off his glasses as he leaned between the seats and pointed out a sign on the road. Amongst the many symbols found therein: food, hotel, and more importantly gas.

Shizuka slowed and eased the truck off onto the appropriate turn point, following it slowly, mindful of how dark it was and how limited their lights were. Fortunate, for a number of cars had been abandoned on the side of the road, some partly blocking the way. She pushed harder on the brake to ease down on their acceleration, and slipped deftly between the vehicles as she maneuvered towards the gas station.

"Let's just hope it's not electronic," muttered Saya. The sign was out, the lights having burnt out, been shut off, or hit by the EMP. Either scenario did not bode well for them as they pulled up to one of the pumps. The rising sun cast a few weak rays of pale light over the region, dispelling much of the darkness, but doing nothing to give warmth. Even inside the vehicle it was a tepid temperature, mostly coming from the heat of so many bodies pressed up together.

Shizuka powered down the vehicle and unbuckled her seatbelt, twisting in her seat to face Kohta. "I'll fill up, but now may be a good time to wake the others and stretch. You shouldn't sit too long in one position. And then I want to take a look at Takashi before we get going."

He nodded, reaching over to shake Saeko's shoulder and rouse her first. Little Alice was already starting to stir, having been using his frame as a makeshift pillow. "I'll check the area, make sure we're safe here. The truck probably caught some attention, so let's not be too long, okay?"

The team moved sluggishly, slowly drifting back from sleep to the waking world, and for the most part climbed out of the vehicle, stretching legs and arms, and easing sore muscles. Kohta took point, giving a quick look around, but this particular stretch of highway didn't seem heavily populated even before Z-Day. Now it was little more than a ghost town. Several gas stations, a few fast food restaurants, and a slew of one and two-story motels. This was more of a stop point for long distance travelers than any real sort of community. For which, they were all very thankful.

The pumps were electronic, unfortunately. Saya bit back as curse as she lightly kicked the bottom of the now useless technology. Her ride in the truck hadn't been very restful, and she was cranky and aggravated_,_ and more than willing to take it out on anyone within striking range. But she bit back her frustrations and just sighed, trying to think this through rationally. The answer came to her in an instant.

"They should have gas containers inside the store. Let's see if anyone's beaten us to it," she said, bidding Kohta and Shizuka to join her.

"We're going to take Zeke for a little walk, is that okay, big sis?" asked Alice, holding the little canine in her arms.

Saya nodded, no doubt the little mutt needed a chance to relieve himself as much as they did, and in a grass field was as good a place as any. "Make sure you keep close to Saeko-san."

"Hai!"

The Busujima swordswoman nodded, pausing by the back of the truck to fill Rei in on their movements, and then followed the little ones to the edge of the field to keep watch. Meanwhile, Saya, Shizuka, and Kohta entered the tiny store. It wasn't locked fortunately, and it looked like the owner had left in a hurry. There was even a half-full bottle of soda uncapped on the countertop, gathering flies. But more importantly, and more welcome, was the sight of plastic gas containers in the back. No doubt sold to truckers or vehicles on the move, they were perfect for their present needs.

The real trouble was that they were empty.

Half-expecting this, Saya produced a tube from one of the countertops and outlined her plan.

"I'll take Kohta, we'll drain all the gas we can from the vehicles on the road. You go ahead and see to Takashi and we'll be back soon."

So the two of them found their way to an abandoned SUV, both armed just in case a stray zombie was lurking amongst the vehicles. Finding none, Kohta unscrewed the cap and followed Saya's instructions, sucking on the tube and holding it just so to get the car juice flowing from the tank into their containers. He was coughing and spitting for close to an hour afterwards, however, but it was for a good cause, so he sucked it up and dealt with it.

Shizuka had finished inspecting their patient by the time they arrived, declaring that Takashi was healing reasonably well, though he'd likely be fatigued for several days. She helped to refill the truck as the kids played in the field under the watchful eye of their guardian. With ample visibility for miles around, they felt much more relaxed out here than they had in the big cities they'd visited previously. Still, they moved with purpose, anxious to move on. They still didn't have a specific destination in mind, but here evidently wasn't it.

Kohta took advantage of another feature at the gas station, and did his best to wipe some of the grime off the windshield with a nearby wiper and fluid.

"Should I get the lights?" he asked, shouldering his rifle.

"Go ahead," replied Saya. "It's light enough out now we'll be fine."

Kohta nodded, about to reply, when he spotted a small corner store nearby.

"Hey I'm going to hit the store nearby, grab us some food. Will you be alright here?"

"We'll be ready to go in ten," Saya said, as Shizuka adjusted the nozzle on the car and sealed it back up. Shouldering the gasoline pack, still about a third full, she deposited it in the bed of the truck with Rei and Takashi. They now had enough gas for at least a few days of travel.

Speaking of their resident sniper, Kohta had taken advantage in the lull of activity to amble down the road towards a nearby small store. He wasn't too concerned about their supplies at the moment, they had enough canned foods and the like to last them a few days yet. But he was always on the lookout for fresh vegetables and fruits, well aware of the dangers of scurvy and malnutrition. Plus, he'd seen an advertisement of an idol with a beer bottle outside of the store. She was pretty, but his real interest was the alcohol. He was hoping to find a few bottles to boost morale when and if they happened to find a place they could put them to use. That was going to be his public lie. If he admitted privately to himself, he hoped a little alcohol would help Saya to loosen up and relax a little, like back at the hotel. She was so serious and tense all the time it couldn't have been healthy.

He slipped in the half-adjacent doorway and into the open aisles. The store wasn't dark, but the positioning of the windows meant sunlight streamed in such a way that it was reflected off myriad bottles and other glass surfaces to make for a confusing play of shadow and light. It was hard to see, though Kohta didn't hear anything. Apart from the buzzing of flies that is. Confident he was alone, he stepped inside, rifle at the ready. The first few aisles were empty, but they only had spoiled fruit and vegetables, now rotted through and disgusting. Kohta grimly tugged up on the collar of his shirt to cover his nose as he pressed onward. The next aisle had nothing, the next held a few boxes of cereal that might've been of use, and maybe some packaged cookies, as he came closer to the refrigerated section. He could smell rancid milk as he turned around one high aisle and into the next row.

And froze.

There were dozens of Them in the last few aisles, standing around like mannequins in the aisles, but all evidently still animated, still moving, their eyes turning this way and that as they waited for a sound that would draw their attention. Judging by the clothes and state of decay some were in, this entire store was acting as a trap, luring in fresh victims every few days to add to their numbers. He counted almost fifty or so of them standing around, waiting.

He stepped back. Very, very slowly, eye darting to keep as many of them in sight as possible. He maneuvered back down the aisle towards the exit, while making as little noise as...

Ding-a-ling.

Kohta almost jumped as he stumbled back against the semi-open door, having miscalculated his exit from the store. With it now closing, the little bell above the door gave an almost merry jingle as Kohta stumbled back against it.

Dead eyes lifted up and locked on the marksman.

"Fuc-!"

* * *

The jingling of the bell was far enough away it was barely heard by the other survivors, but any sound quickly caught their attention these days. Saeko and Saya both glanced up as Kohta came running out of the store towards them at a dead sprint.

"Company!" he declared as he neared the truck. He stopped and pulled up his rifle to take aim as the two girls dropped to either side of him, hands on their swords. They'd half expected more hostile survivors, but were still repulsed by the sight of zombies stumbling out of the store after them.

"How many?" asked Saeko, even as Rei ushered the children and Zeke into their seats.

"Lost count," he replied, as the first wave of them came into view. "Start the truck!"

Shizuka turned the key in the ignition.

Splutter-splutter-splutter-splutter-wheeeeeeeze.

"Nononono...!"

Splutter-splutter-splutter-splutter-wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze.

"It won't start!"

"Keep trying!" shouted Kohta, taking aim through the scope of his rifle. A squeezed trigger, a bullet fired, and one of Them shuffled another few feet forward before it realized its head had been destroyed, and collapsed in a heap on the ground.

"Take the left, Takagi-san," intoned Saeko, drawing her katana and running in a tilt to the opposite side. "I have the right."

Saya drew her wakizashi with much less grace. "Yeah, sure, I got this," she muttered. She took a swing with her wakizashi, decapitating one of the undead monsters before it got too close, and skipped back, keeping well out of reach of the next one coming at her. She had zero desire to be caught by one of Them again. By sharp contrast, Saeko all but plunged into the conflict, eyes alight with an inner blue fire as she swung her sword, decapitating, impaling, and carving deep into dead flesh.

Splutter-splutter-splutter-splutter-wheeeeeeeze.

Shizuka slammed her palms down against the steering wheel angrily and looked up. More of the undead were coming towards them now, cutting off their exit. She could've driven over them and to safety if only the car would...

Splutter-splutter-splutter-splutter-splutter-.

Shizuka's head snapped up, seeing more ugly gray faces much too close, and panicked. Her hand pawed at her jacket as she tugged out the desert eagle she'd kept with her since the escape from Black Sun. It felt heavy and unwieldy in her hand but she slipped her fingers into the appropriate groove and rested her index over the trigger, stumbling out of the truck and leaning over the hood to brace herself, as well as offer excellent cover. She took aim, hand shaking, at a small group of Them staggering from the edge of the group, well away from the other fighters. She had no illusions about her capability with a firearm, and if she missed she didn't want to risk hitting the kids.

The first shot went wide, hitting the glass window of the gas station and shattering it. The recoil of the weapon was staggering, it nearly knocked her flat on her butt. But she grimly fired a second shot, doing her best to take aim again, sighting along the weapon. Again, she missed, only managing a shot through the zombie's heart that almost ripped clean through them, but didn't quite stop them. And anything less than a headshot was wasted ammo.

"Come on, come on," she muttered, hands shaking. At this rate she'd have to wait until he was within striking distance to...

A body slammed into the car roughly as Kohta fell back against it to use as a brace, and the sound startled Shizuka, who hadn't even aimed before pulling the trigger. The bullet flew wide, hitting a sign hanging over the station. An advertising for some sporting team or other. The sign, freed of its constraints, was claimed by gravity, and quickly fell to land atop of the zombie with a sickening thud, crushing its head. The loud bang caught everyone's attention, as Shizuka could only look up sheepishly at her pseudo-kill.

"Still counts!" Kohta declared, giving a thumb up and a wicked grin.

Shizuka gave a weak smile and took aim at another approaching undead monster, pulling the trigger. The empty click of a hollow chamber told her that she'd exhausted her ammo supply, and with a half-relieved, half-frustrated cry she threw her weapon at the zombie's ugly face. She gave a high-pitched scream as it barely turned its head from the impact, taking only half a second to recover before it gave an unearthly howl and lunging at her.

Seeing their sensei's plight, Saeko turned, but the distance between them was too great, plus she had a number of opponents in her way. Swinging out her sword to sever one attacker's head, not even bothering to glance his way, Saeko reached down to the inner coat of her long jacket, grabbing up the switchblade she'd saved there. Flipping it open with a practiced hand, she used her next attack to launch herself forward, planting her foot in the face of another undead attacker and hurling the knife with deadly accuracy. It impacted right in the eye-socket of Shizuka's attacker, penetrating clear to the brain and ending its unnatural existence. Saeko grinned wickedly, another death at the hands of Shinigami.

"Shizuka-sensei! Get that hunk of junk moving!" shouted Saya.

The blonde nurse nodded, pulling open the door and using it as a shield as she turned the key, not even bothering to climb back inside. The car spluttered and wheezed but again the engine would not roar to life.

"It still won't start!"

"Grab Takashi then! We'll abandon the truck and come back for it, MOVE!"

Alice and Saito scurried away quick as their short legs could carry them, standing at a reasonably safe distance from the fight as Saeko, Kohta, and Saya continued to buy time for those still in the vehicle. Rei leaned her naginata against the frame and tried to pull Takashi out of the flatbed as delicately as she could. Alas, he was a bit too heavy to manage, and she stumbled under his weight, the two of them crashing down onto the ground beside the vehicle. Shizuka moved to assist, and the two women managed to support Takashi between them. Takashi flitted in and out of consciousness, but couldn't quite seem to find himself fully in one state or the other.

"Running low!" Kohta announced, ejecting his spent magazine and switching it out. He was down to his last full clip, and reluctant to use it. He switched his stance and thrust out with the butt of his rifle, knocking the next one of Them to attack flat on their back, making them an easier kill for Saya, who neatly decapitated them.

"Rei! Move it!"

"We're going! We're going!" she cried out, stumbling with Shizuka around the side of the truck. By now it was close to surrounded by dead and undead bodies, the former piled up on the ground, the latter still coming towards them with hungry mouths and grasping hands. They were all but surrounded, and Kohta didn't foresee them all getting out of this one. Takashi was still unconscious and none of them could carry him fast enough to also escape the undead horde. They needed someone to stay behind and buy them time. Kohta's eye narrowed dangerously as his whole body tensed, and he prepared himself for the next zombie to come, fully prepared to do what was necessary.

Bang.

A zombie went down, and Kohta blinked his eye in surprise. He hadn't done that. And none of them had any guns other than himself, who...

Rumble.

Everyone heard that now, and as one, glanced up. Even the dead had paused in their attack, drawn by the new sound. Barreling down the road from the same highway turn off they'd used was a sleek red motorcycle and a single black-clad rider. A pistol in their hands fired off a second shot, unerringly piercing the head of another one of Them, splattering brain matter everywhere and saving Saya from an attack from behind.

And all this while using their other hand to maintain perfect balance on their motorcycle.

"What the-?" asked the pink-haired girl, evidently as stunned as they were. Still, not one to question good fortune, she leapt back and out of the fray, making her way over to the truck to use it as cover in case the motorcyclist was as much an enemy to them as they evidently were to the undead. The motorcycle rider lifted up one hand as their vehicle came speeding towards them, holding up a small metallic object. A flick of their hand and something fell off, their military otaku instantly recognized it.

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" shouted Kohta, grabbing Saito and shielding him with his body as the two of them fell to the ground beside the truck. The others quickly ran around the other side as the motorcyclist lobbed the object into the crowd.

The hand grenade went off with a spectacular boom, knocking down dozens of undead bodies, maiming multiple ones and killing others. A few limbless monsters still struggled for mobility, but they were relatively helpless from the impaling blades of Saya, Saeko, and Rei. Within minutes, most of the undead in the clearing were out of commission. And even better, none of them had anything more than a few scrapes and bruises to complain about, the grenade shrapnel hadn't hit any of them. Hell, the blast hadn't even touched the truck.

All the same, soon as Kohta was positive the zombies were all dealt with, he turned his priorities to his teammates and family. "Everyone alright?"

"F-fine," replied Saya, a little shaky on her feet. The explosion had been fairly close to where she'd been crouched, and her ears were still ringing a bit.

Saeko nodded, she seemed to be fine.

Shizuka was still sitting on the ground with Takashi all but lying in her lap, holding him protectively. Though whether the protection was for his benefit or hers was not entirely clear from the way she held him. Rei gave Takashi a quick look over, and then nodded. "He's okay."

"We're okay!" shouted Alice, reporting for the three of them.

Saito tugged lightly on Kohta's sleeve, pointing. Kohta followed his gaze.

The motorcyclist was making their way towards them, though at a much slower pace than before. Half the team tensed, but didn't attack, after all, they likely owed this person their lives. Up closer, it was a little easier to make out details. It was a dark-clad rider with a pair of ruby sunglasses, wrapped up in a heavy scarf that covered most of their face. A few strands of dark hair had come loose during their trip as they maneuvered their bike into the now ruined gas station, neatly crushing the head of a zombie before they came to a complete stop. They weren't wearing a helmet.

They stared at the team for a minute before slowly taking their handgun and slipping it into a holster strapped to their leg. The rider then kicked out the kickstand, leaning easily atop of the handlebars.

"Uhm... thank you," said Saeko politely, a little wary of the mystery biker and their timely rescue. But she certainly wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. She kept her blade lowered.

The rider tugged at the top of their scarf, freeing long, dark violet locks of hair that tumbled down to the waist, and then pulled down the front from _her_ face, revealing darkly tanned skin and full lips. Now that she was much closer, it was easy to make out feminine curves under a dark bodysuit, even covered by a dark vest much like Kohta's own, if sleeker and more streamlined. Heavy boots and some fingerless gloves completed her look.

"You looked like you needed a hand," she said. "Is everyone alright?"

"We're fine," replied Kohta, resting his rifle in the crook of his arm. "Owe you a lot for saving our bacon though."

"Think nothing of it. Names..."

"RIKA!"

The purple-haired woman had barely half a minute to brace herself before a big-boobed blonde all but threw herself at her, engulfing the dark-haired woman in a mighty hug. The others blinked in surprise, wondering how on Earth Shizuka had learned to move so fast.

"KamisamaI'-?"

Laughing, the other woman hugged Shizuka back, crushing her gently in her arms, as the blonde held on tightly. Then, feeling a need to regain some oxygen, the stranger pried the nurse off of her with surprising strength and deposited her back on her feet at arm's length. "Hey, whoa, relax there! It's good to see you again too, Shizuka!"

The younger survivors watched the bizarre exchange with wide eyes, blinking almost in unison as their brains struggled to keep up with the unusual turn of events. The two of them seemed to know one another, which meant against near ridiculous odds, they'd been reunited. Smiles lit up their faces, and some of the battle fatigue faded away as they watched the reunion.

"Mind introducing me to your young friends?" asked Rika with a bemused grin.

"Oh! Oh yes of course!" replied Shizuka. "Everyone, this is Rika Minami, the really great friend I told you all about!"

"The gun... er... enthusiast?" asked Rei, substituting the second word for something more polite.

Rika laughed at that, seeing right through her subterfuge. "Let's just say I'm in favor of being prepared. So, you must all be the 'crazy high school kids' I've heard so much about," she said, giving them all a thorough once over. "I'm really impressed you've lasted so long."

"Your weapons definitely helped in that regard," replied Kohta meekly. "I, uh... don't suppose you want them back?"

And again she laughed. Oh but it felt good to do that, she'd had so little reason to laugh these past few weeks. "Oh no, please, by all means. I more than owe you for keeping this blonde bimbo safe," Rika stated, reaching out to ruffle the nurse's hair.

"Wah! Rika-chan is being mean!" Shizuka mock-whined.

By now everyone was laughing as Rika was introduced to their team one by one, stopping only when she reached the youngest children and their little dog Zeke. The latter of whom was regarding this stranger warily. However, after padding forward to sniff at Rika's boots, Zeke gave a single bark and then wagged his tail, seemingly unthreatened.

Rika patted him on the head as she regarded the younger children. "Oh these two are adorable, are these little cherubs yours, Shizuka-chan?"

Alice giggled at that, shaking her head. "Shizuka's not our mommy, she's just... uhm... well..."

Saito, for his part, cowered behind Alice and tried to look as small as possible as he watched this newcomer. He wasn't quite sure yet what to make of Rika Minami, and when dealing with the unknown, experience had taught him to be very cautious indeed. He raised up the camera in his hands to snap a picture of her, this serving the dual purpose of hiding his face from view.

"Not very friendly, is he?" asked Rika, giving Saito some room as she stepped back.

"Saito's been through a lot," Kohta replied. "Probably more than we have."

She nodded. "I can believe that. So... you're in charge here?" asked Rika, turning her gaze on Kohta.

The big boy shook his head. "Nah, not me. I'm not cut out for it. But our real leader's a bit... uh..."

"Baka moron got himself shot," elaborated Saya, not bothering to mince words. "He's recovering in the back of the truck."

"I helped!" said Shizuka, waving her hand up and down, bouncing like an excited little girl.

"Well, when he's recovered, I definitely want to meet him. In the meantime, sounds like we have a lot to discuss."

Rika focused this statement mostly on Shizuka, wanting to catch up with her girlfriend a lot, but encompassing all of them with a gaze. Taking in the subtle sights and signs, the worn down, ragged nature of their clothes, the haunted look some of them carried in their eyes. The way Kohta had only one working eye, yet he still used it to keep watch more often than not. How the Busujima woman's hand didn't stray far from the katana at her side. The way little Alice and Saito trailed behind their big sister Saya like a pair of baby ducks following their mother, wanting to be useful. Even her good friend Shizuka had changed, while she still seemed the lovably innocent, naïve blonde stereotype that Rika knew full well, she wasn't. Now she too carried something of a dark cloud around her. These people weren't just kids anymore, despite all she'd heard. They were hardened survivors every bit as tough as some of the soldiers Rika had worked with in her life. And yet they'd also managed to retain a modicum of humanity and humility in their trials, and had drawn together closer than any family she'd ever had.

She decided she liked them already.

"So... anyone for breakfast? I'm starving!"

* * *

Takashi awoke to someone shaking his shoulder, and a dull ache, in his _everywhere_. He groaned as he reluctantly lifted himself into a sitting position, rubbing at his eyes and licking his lips. They felt dry, so did his throat. Evidently he'd been out a long time.

A pinkish blur in front of him eventually cleared and came into sharp focus, Saya Takagi, childhood friend, local genius and newly trained swordswoman. A year ago, heck two months ago that last title would've seemed silly, now it fit like a glove. He blinked stupidly at her for a few minutes, trying to bring his brain up to speed with his body.

A dark dream lingered on the edge of his subconscious, but he banished it behind blinking eyelids as she spoke up.

"We've stopped for breakfast and to let the engine cool," she explained. "How are you feeling?"

"... I've had worse," he croaked after a moment, which was a flat out lie. He hadn't felt this bad when his leg had been broken, at least then he'd been in fairly good shape. Now his whole body ached, especially his lower back where...

_Where..._

Takashi reached back, hissing in pain as his motions caused his wound to flare up.

"What happened?" he asked, ever so gently prodding the bandage.

"You got shot, baka," retorted Saya, frowning at him. "When we were escaping the Black Sun. Shizuka-sensei had to get the bullet out so we holed up at an abortion clinic for a bit to perform the surgery. We also had to give you a blood transfusion. Little Saito volunteered."

"Saito?"

"He was the only one with compatible blood type. Easy," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder to steady him when he hissed in pain, clutching at his side. "The wound's still healing, but you're lucky to be alive."

"Aren't we all?"

She gave him an annoyed look, fuming behind the frames of her glasses.

"What else did I miss?" he asked groggily.

Saya glanced over her shoulder at the others, still milling around the newcomer with a million questions each, or so it seemed. "Not much. Shizuka's friend found us."

He blinked, not quite sure he heard that right. Maybe his head was still full of cobwebs. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

* * *

Turns out the engine was still in fairly good order. After Saya had given it a brief inspection, she'd found only a loose wire which explained the earlier troubles. Probably jostled loose during their trip and only became an issue when they stopped. All the same, they let the engine cool and secured the wire before they started out again.

With the battle over, and the area relatively safe, it seemed as good a time and place as any to stop and enjoy a late breakfast/early lunch in the parking lot. On the opposite side of the carnage, of course. The winds were calm and they were warm enough in their coats and pants. Takashi was finally out in the fresh air, sitting propped up against the gas station's far wall, with Rei and Saeko by his sides in case he felt unwell. The others formed a rough semi-circle around a cooking fire, with Rika at the far end, and Shizuka by her side. It was here, munching on bag of chips, that Rika told her story.

"When the Outbreak started, I was out on a mission," she explained. "My squadron had been deployed in the west to quell some terrorist activity, and we were on our way home when... well... everything went sour." She didn't elaborate, they all remembered well enough the chaos that had erupted in the first few hours of Z-Day. "Half my squad didn't survive the first encounter, but I made it out with my partner. Since neither of us had family, we got reassigned to clean-up at Kobe airport. It was being used to evacuate survivors. Mostly protecting government officials and the like who were being moved somewhere safer."

"So that means they made it to safety?" asked Takashi.

Rika's lips pressed into a thin line. "I'm not sure," she replied after a moment's thought. "We were told about safe haven's overseas. Military bases, peninsula's, isolated communities. But every other day, I kept hearing about how another one had fallen and the people either died or had to move on. Now? I wouldn't stake my life on it."

"Yeah we've had some experience with so-called sanctuaries," added Kohta bitterly, remembering Kumejima.

"But, I was alive, I was relatively safe, and I was busy," Rika continued. "I wanted to return to the city to find Shizuka, but I had a duty to protect the people in my charge, and I never shirk from duty."

"So why're you here now?" asked Alice, sipping on her juice box.

Rika managed a tired smile. "Well, sweetie, at this point anyone under my charge is uhm... not in my care anymore."

"You mean they're dead," said Alice with unexpected solemness.

"Clever girl," congratulated Rika. "I don't know that for certain, but... some of them were, and most of the others were evacuated. My partner Tajima bit the dust covering my backside, and after that I felt I'd done more than my fair share. Duty only goes so far, after all. So I checked in with my bosses, and I was given leave to go find Shizuka-chan, so I headed home. Oh, I knew you weren't there," she explained. "Your last message before the EMP hit was clear on that. But you'd been there, and I needed some of my stuff anyway. I'm just glad you all didn't clean me out completely."

Takashi and Kohta exchanged a look and awkwardly rubbed the backs of their heads.

"So I grabbed what I could and moved on to try and find you. You may've taken my car, but that baby," she chucked a thumb over at her bike, "I'd left it at a mechanics for a tune-up, who had in storage nearby. And it hasn't let me down since."

"So you came after us," remarked Takashi. "Maybe we should've left a note or something for you to follow. I'm sorry we didn't."

"Which didn't make things easy. But after a day or so, I heard most survivors had been evacuated to Yokota following the EMP, and that a gathering point was at Shintoko Third Elementary nearby. Something told me my friend had made it that far, at least."

"It stands to reason you did not linger," remarked Saeko, well remembering that little bloodbath.

Rika nodded, confirming their suspicions. "But I found records of the evacuation, including Shizuka's name, and that some of the choppers had made it to Yokota. So I tried to make my way there, and, well... funny story..."

* * *

Rika Minami had been in a lot of rough situations in her life. And that was _before_ the dead decided to get up and start walking again. But this was definitely climbing to the top of her very worst.

She'd tried taking a route around the city, but cars and trucks piled up along the highway made it virtually impassable, and she'd gone off-road into a residential district. And things had gone from worse to flat out hellish as each twist and turn seemingly brought her into the company of more and more of the walking dead. For every one of Them she took down, three or four more took Their place, and she was running low on crossbow bolts and bullets. At this rate, she'd have to abandon her bike, and find a house with a second story, climb up and wait on the roof until they gave her some breathing space.

Then she heard gunfire, and not her own. Her head instinctively ducked low as zombie heads exploded all around her.

Barreling down the streets was an armored carrier humvee, and atop of which she could clearly see a gunner in the turret. They were firing controlled bursts into the zombie attackers, mowing them down. She quickly moved out of the line of fire, unloading a few more bolts to clear herself a path, and kept well out of their way. After a moment, the vehicle turned in a wide circuit, and she realized she was the only one still standing in the immediate vicinity.

Moments later, a second vehicle, a big armored truck, came down the road, stopping behind the humvee. She recognized it as an APC, or Armored Personnel Carrier. She couldn't make out the occupants of either truck, but they had saved her life, she owed them the benefit of the doubt before she bolted. Or shot someone.

The side door of the humvee opened up, and a soldier in combat fatigues stepped out, tilting back his hat as he regarded her, a toothpick resting between his teeth. She made sure to keep her hands raised up high, though she kept her crossbow knocked and ready to use.

"Lieutenant Komatsu, JSDF," he said. "What's your name?"

"Sergeant Rika Minami, former SAT," she reported with a jaunty salute. "Good timing, were you boys just waiting for a damsel in distress, or was I really lucky today?"

He smiled, shifting the toothpick between his teeth. "Little of column A, little of column B, ma'am."

"Is she bit?" asked another soldier, climbing out of the armored truck. "Has she been bitten?"

"Calm down, Corporal," snapped Komatsu. He then turned back to Rika. "Gotta ask though, are you-?"

"I'd rather not submit to a strip search," she replied jokingly, "But if you boys insist..."

"Maybe not the whole show's worth," assured the lieutenant with a smile. "But if you would, let Corporal Lee take a look. We can't be too careful."

"No, you can't," she replied, allowing the younger man to lead her to some relative privacy behind the APC. He was a complete professional as he gave her a check-up, even allowing her to keep her clothes on for the most part, but he was thorough. Eventually, however, he gave her a clean bill of health and pronounced her safe.

Meanwhile, most of the others were milling around the vehicles, checking residences for survivors and taking down a few more zombies that were hiding behind walls and glass. Even so, everyone deferred to Lieutenant Komatsu, who was obviously in charge. And doing a pretty good job of organizing the raid, making sure 'walkers' were dealt with, supplies were salvaged, and those infected put to rest as peacefully as possible. Corporal Lee, however, was clearly out of his element, but did his best to screen supplies before they were packaged up and shoved into the APC or Humvee. They moved with a smooth efficiency, leaving her no doubts they knew exactly what they were doing. There was a mix of outfits, some were wearing the uniform of the Japanese Self-Defense Force, while she also saw more than a few United States Air Force uniforms, as well as two or three civilians. One in particular caught her eye, a pale man with a shock of red hair who seemed to wander as if in a daze in between the two vehicles. He had very intense blue eyes, but they did not seem to be focused on anything. He wore dogtags over a t-shirt, and a pair of camouflage jeans, but otherwise wasn't in uniform.

"I can't escape this Hell..." he sing-songed.

_A little out of place for something like this_, she mused. _Probably shell shocked._ She decided not to pry. Instead, she focused on the lieutenant.

"I've been told I'm not in danger of dying on you anytime soon," she reported smartly. "Care to let me in on the little operation?"

"Salvage and rescue," he replied. "We're rounding up survivors out of Yokota Air Base, and gathering supplies in the local regions."

"Sounds like a plan. I'm looking for someone, any chance you've rescued a blonde woman about my height? You'd never forget her... face."

He paused, considering, but ultimately shook his head. "No, 'fraid not, but another team might've picked up your friend and taken her to Yokota. It's about the only safe place left in Japan these da-"

Suddenly, the strange redhead was interposing himself between them. "So many times I've tried..."

"Oh this is Anax. We picked him up on the edges of Tokyo, babbling nonsense... he's dumber than a brick..."

"But I'm still caged inside..." he sing-songed. Then he stopped, sniffed the air, and pointed to the west. "Two walkers are coming this way," he reported.

To her surprise, the lieutenant seemed to take this seriously, and glanced up at the humvee, where the gunner checked it out and gave a thumb up, confirming. Two sniped shots later, and he gave the all clear sign.

Rika blinked, impressed and more than a little surprised.

Lieutenant Komatsu shrugged. "It's uncanny, but I have no explanation for it. Neither do I give a damn. It's a useful skill and I'm making use of it."

She watched as the strange man wandered off again, seemingly enraptured by some passing idea or other. "Won't hear me complaining," exclaimed Rika. "Alright I'm sold, I'll take one first class ticket to Yokota."

"We'll be heading through a few more districts before we return to base. I'll need your help in securing supplies and dealing with walkers."

She tossed off a salute. "Understood."

"A dozen or more are coming from the south," the strange man told them with a firm certainty that left Rika with little doubt he was right.

"Alright, let's move out before they get here," declared Lieutenant Komatsu.

"Somebody get me through this niiiightmaaaare..." Anax sing-songed.

"What about my ride?" she asked the officer as they appeared to be finishing up. "You want me to just trail behind you?"

"We'll hitch it up on the back, you're better off inside for now, the next area is supposed to be swamped with bodies, and not the sort that're nice and quiet on the ground either."

She nodded, overseeing the process to ensure her bike didn't get so much as a scratch in the process, then climbed into the APC. Rika took a seat in the back, strapping in as the vehicle powered up. Anax slipped past her, but stopped for a moment, leaning in to whisper something to her.

"I like you," he explained in a hushed whisper. "So I want to show you something... don't be alarmed, they all know," the red-headed man explain as he rolled up his sleeve. A bite mark was clearly visible on his upper arm, just above his elbow. But it was old, and despite poor care, obviously healing. It would leave a horrific scar, but in the end, it wouldn't kill him. Rika looked up at Anax in a mixture of horror, curiosity, and awe.

"I am the only one who can survive them. I'm immune. My blood is the key, so they're taking me to find medics. Geneticists, doctors, scientists. They'll find the answer in my blood. The key is there."

Rika sat back in her seat, a little stunned, as Anax crawled forward in the APC to sit in the front with the driver. A cure. As impossible as it sounded, it meant things might be looking up for the future of the world. Maybe things really weren't so bleak after all.

A snicker drew her attention, and she glanced up, spotting two soldiers sitting across from her.

"Don't listen to a thing he says, ma'am. He was bit by a dog, that's all."

Despite herself and her dashed hopes, Rika smiled. That certainly explained a lot. Well, everyone was going mad in their own little ways. Thousands of little ways to deal with the stress. Anax was harmless enough, nevermind his delusions. He was like a lost little puppy, and he just might make her trip to Yokota interesting.

"I can't control myself..." he sing-songed, gazing out the window as the APC rumbled on.

* * *

"They were an interesting bunch, Anax especially. But anyway, we moved on, and then I arrived at Yokota and first thing I hear is all sorts of stories about 'those crazy high school kids' and their 'blonde nurse' friend. You all caused one hell of a stir when you left."

"Didn't have much choice," retorted Saya. "Yokota was a mistake."

"No argument here," replied Rika.

"So then you followed us to the docks?" asked Takashi.

She shook her head. "Actually no. I think I might've gotten some bad intel, because when I left Yokota myself, I was told you'd all gone southwest into the countryside."

"But we didn't..."

"Like I said, false intel. It happens, especially when you're more worried about your next meal instead of keeping records straight. So really, the best explanation I have for finding you is dumb luck."

"Seem to be getting a lot of that lately," murmured Rei, with a sidelong glance at nobody in particular.

"Well, maybe not pure luck, I did have some help. When I reached the city of Matsukai, I ran into some survivors who wanted to recruit me for... oh... how did they phrase it..." she pondered with a mock air of uncertainty. Then, with a snap of her fingers, remembered. "Oh right, repopulation of the human species. Now, I've heard worse pick up lines in my time..."

Shizuka giggled.

"... but this one just wasn't doing anything for me. So I sent them packing. And this last one who runs, he gets shot in the leg, so when I'm retrieving my bolt, he mentions the Black Sun sanctuary and the blonde nurse there. I'm thinking, hmmm, maybe a bit of a stretch, but why not? So I head there, and the whole place is a mess, none of you around, but plenty of stories. And then I find this one survivor left, he's crawled up atop of a fire escape to get out of reach of his pursuers, but he's still bleeding to death. Someone chopped off his arm during the chaos turns out."

Saeko and Saya both raised eyebrows, sharing a single glance, but said nothing.

"He wasn't very helpful at first, so I had to be... persuasive. Turns out he had a really terrible fear of heights though, and eventually, after a little Q and A, he mentions you all and which way you went. It wasn't hard to figure out where you'd go from there, though I nearly _did_ miss this turn off. I'd've kept going until I hit the mountains if I didn't spot your truck."

"What happened to the boy?" asked Saeko, her voice pitched just a hint colder than before.

Rika finished the last of her chips. "He wasn't going to make it with an injury like that, he was already starting to get infected. I asked if he wanted a quick death, and when he said yes, I gave him one," she stated, crumpling up her bag of chips for emphasis and tossing it over her shoulder.

Saeko nodded, her expression largely calm and unphased by the revelation of Kensui's demise. Marred only by Shinigami's lips curling up into a wicked smirk she quickly squelched.

"Then you followed us along the road," remarked Kohta.

"And found you in the nick of time, looks like."

Takashi shivered. Her words were innocent enough, delivered in a light-hearted manner. But he couldn't help but feel nothing but horror. If Rika _hadn't_ made it to them in time, and he hadn't been able to do anything about it... "We're really grateful for your help," he said softly, feeling weak with relief.

"And _we're_ grateful _you're_ back with us," added Kohta. "We were worried for a while."

"Alice wasn't," spoke up the tiny redhead. "Everyone in Alice's family pitched in to help big brother Takashi."

"And now we're all together, and we can move on," added Rei, resting a hand lightly on Takashi's and giving a gentle squeeze. He squeezed her hand back.

"So just what is the plan, fearless leader?" asked Kohta.

He took a minute to collect his thoughts, breathing in, giving a few heavy sighs. Saeko rested a hand lightly on his shoulder, and he drew from her strength.

"Keep heading northwest," he finally declared. "A little ways into the mountains. Somewhere high up where They can't reach us easily. Then find a place to stay."

"Find some shelter or fortress someone's made to keep out the dead?" asked Rika.

He shook his head. "We've had bad experience with those. We've given up on finding someone else's sanctuary; it's time to make our own. We go somewhere remote, somewhere no people go, and _build_ one. Start with maybe a farm house or a cabin or something, then go from there."

"Sounds fun. I sure hope you'll let me come with then."

"Uweh? What do you mean?" asked Shizuka, puzzled.

"Well I turned in my resignation before I left Yokota, not that I feel most any organization have any sort of weight or legal pull on me to begin with. Not anymore. But it means I'm a free woman. A free woman with no home and no job. So, right now I'm kinda freelance, and I don't have trouble admitting... it's gotten a bit lonely all by myself, and I'd like to travel with others again. Do you mind if I join your group?"

Various gazes turned to regard Takashi, and golden eyes blinked in puzzlement as he looked at the others. "Why is everyone looking at me?"

"Baka, you're our leader, remember?" stated Saya. "That hasn't changed." The others quickly chimed in with similar approval, nodding their heads and voicing their agreement that Takashi was best suited to the position. Particularly following their various difficulties when he'd been out of commission. Rika smiled at that, impressed.

"Obviously your team trusts your judgment, Komuro-kun," added Rika. "Or is it 'sir'?"

He chuckled at that. "I think we can settle this one democratically, all in favor of Rika joining?"

Every hand went up, Shizuka's fastest of all, and only Saito's remained lowered for a hesitant moment or two before he joined in, following Alice's example. Just for the heck of it, Takashi then asked "All opposed?"

Crickets chirping in the field answered him, and not a single hand was in the air now. Rika smiled brightly.

"Welcome to the family," he said.

* * *

**Authors Notes:  
**I know in the canon, or even in my own story, it seems unlikely Shizuka would have the heart to administer such a mercy-killing to Saito and Alice, no matter the circumstances. But since it was a nightmare Takashi was having, it hardly counts towards her true personality.


	13. 12 Ashes to Ashes

**_XII – Ashes to Ashes_**

"_A life without love is like a heap of ashes  
__upon a deserted hearth, with the fire dead, the  
__laughter stilled, and the light extinguished_."

- **Unknown Author**.

* * *

**Japanese Countryside  
****1740 hours,  
****Z Day + 39**

Once underway again, they did not stop but once every few hours to stretch and eat, pressing onwards as far as the truck and motorcycle could respectively carry them. Their zombie encounter in such a remote place as the turn off had left them with little desire to go near any source of civilization. Their ultimate destination was now the mountains, far from where people normally lived. No people would mean no undead. At least, that was the plan.

Takashi had long since passed out, still weak from his brush with death. He sat in the middlemost seat of the truck, flanked by his angels. Shizuka, Saya, and Saito took the front most seats. Kohta had volunteered to watch their supplies in the rear.

Little Alice had been provided a helmet found at the gas station, and was riding on the back of Rika's motorcycle her.

They kept driving as long as they could, but with only Shizuka and Rika qualified to drive the truck, and only the latter her motorcycle, they could not rotate drivers, and had to stop every couple of hours or so to give them a chance to rest. And even that was pushing it. Still, it gave the passengers a chance to stretch their legs, and for Takashi to undergo some gentle exercises Shizuka suggested to aid his recovery.

All the same, they were making good time when the third day came about and they came across an unusual sight.

* * *

There was no warning the next morning they found a generous amount of fog on the road, and going was much slower because of it. Rika led the way on her motorcycle, the foglights still functioning, while Shizuka eased the truck along behind her. Even so, more than once they had to stop and pull alongside one another while Saya consulted the map, convinced they were lost.

"I don't recognize this road, anyone seen a sign yet?"

"I think this was..."

"... must've driven into a valley..."

"... no we turned off of that a little while ago..."

"... straight, not right..."

"... left at Albuquerque?"

"... double back, we'll try again..."

Eventually, the fog parted as the regular road continued on past a grassy hillside, with a dirt road carved up it. It was about that time when both their drivers needed a break, so Saya suggested they do so atop of the hill, where the fog would be thinnest and visibility greatest. Also, it seemed many of Them had difficulty climbing steep surfaces, and thus it would slow them down. Shizuka turned their truck onto the road, grateful for its all-terrain mobility. Rika's motorcycle, by contrast, wasn't nearly so well-suited to the rough path, but she managed all the same. And when they reached the top of the hill, the fog parted at the sight of a building with a high bamboo fence and some locked gates.

Shizuka powered down their truck as Rika brought around her motorcycle, and the survivors piled out of and off of both vehicles to take a closer look at the sign resting on the bamboo fence.

"Firewater Springs?" Rei read aloud, as the others gathered round.

"It's an onsen," Saya realized. "A hot springs hotel and resort."

The mention of hot water made more than a few of them giddy, after so many days of travel, especially without being able to change clothes, they were all starting to get a bit rank. "I wonder if it still works?" asked Takashi.

"Its fed by natural underground springs," replied Saya knowingly. "It doesn't just stop working."

"I know that," Takashi replied. "I meant, well... clean and-... whatever..." he sighed, not interesting in contesting the point further.

"One way to find out," said Kohta, checking the bamboo gates. Padlocked, a thick chain running between the two doors.

"Owner probably has the key, wherever they are."

"Some people keep spare keys lying around in case of emergencies," mused Saya aloud, tugging a hairpin loose to try and pick the lock. "Sometimes they hide it inside a plastic rock, especially if there's natural surroundings."

"This likely qualifies," remarked Saeko.

"So get to looking," replied Saya with a 'what are you, stupid?' look on her face. She turned back to her lock picking. "Could be nearby on the ground, but-"

"Big sis?"

"Not now, munchkin."

"But Saito..."

"I'm busy, Alice-chan," Saya replied, still trying to fiddle with the lock. Alas, it was being stubborn. That and her pin didn't seem to be sturdy enough this time, it kept bending.

"Saya!"

"What?" she hissed darkly, finally turning back to face the little redhead.

Alice simply pointed to her side, where Saito was standing. The little boy held up a small plastic rock, and sure enough, inside the fake bottom was the key.

"Saito-kun found it."

The pink-haired woman gawked for a second before giving a mighty sigh, tossing her hairpin aside, and grabbed the rock and key. She unlatched the gate, glancing back. Everyone took her look and readied their weapons and themselves for trouble.

The padlock fell away easily, the chains a little more noisy, but still relatively quiet. Unless you were right on the other side of the gates, you wouldn't have heard them. A few tense seconds passed, and the gates were opened wide enough for a clear view of the other side. A small garden and pathway leading up to a porch, but no sign of inhabitants. Even so, Kohta and Rika kept their weapons upraised and ready as they slipped into the garden, giving a wide sweep of all the shadows as the others followed behind them more slowly.

"Clear, no contacts," said Kohta smartly.

"I've got nothing," reported Rika.

"Go slowly," ordered Takashi, guiding them with his club resting on his shoulder. He wasn't quite in fighting trim but he felt well enough to help. "Saeko, you back up Kohta, make sure nobody sneaks up behind him. I'll follow Minami-san. We'll meet at the far end, then clear out the rooms. Saya, you keep watch here with the kids. Rei, can you watch the car with Shizuka?"

"Hai," they all replied, already making their way forward. Kohta had the business end of his rifle making wide sweeps as he checked out the interior of the establishment. Occasionally, he stopped, tugging at the bamboo fence to check its sturdiness. Very durable, very old. It would last well against a few of Them. And it was much too high to climb up over. For the dead, at least, the living was something else, but one problem at a time.

He was about halfway around the house when his scope came to rest on a flash of purple and a tanned face.

"Friendly," stated Rika firmly, just to be on the safe side.

"Hello," he replied amicably. Behind them, Saeko and Takashi smirked.

They went room-by-room, one door at a time, letting Saeko and Saya lead on the inside with Kohta and Rika backing them up. Close quarters demanded close combat weapons, the sword masters were in charge in here. They didn't find anyone in the first few rooms, everything was as neat and orderly as if it could open for business tomorrow. In the last room, the office managed by the onsen's owner, Saya found a note. Once the others had ensured the place was deserted, they'd gathered in the main hallway, and she read it to them.

"_Dearest niece_," she read.

"_If you are reading this then you've made it here safely, and we are grateful. However, we've been asked to evacuate by the local police, and will be complying, they say they're taking us into town for safety. Contact them when you can, and until you do, please stay safe_."

Saya looked up, feeling a shiver run down her spine. Given the amount of dust covering the paper, she suspected it had never been received by its intended recipient; no one had been here in weeks.

"Looks like as good a place as any to rest for the night," said Takashi, breaking the heavy silence that followed. "Good chance to wash up as well, we may as well take advantage of it."

"I'll re-lock the gates," said Kohta, slipping out of the room quietly.

Rika grimaced, clutching at her stomach as the others talked amicably. She hadn't felt well all morning, and it showed as Shizuka paused at her side.

"Are you alright?" the blonde asked.

The dark-haired woman nodded. "Just a little indigestion, I think. Probably ate something that didn't agree with me."

"Shizuka-sensei?"

The blonde glanced up as Saya came to her side. "We should go turn the truck around so if we need to leave in a hurry there's no need to three-point turn or anything like that. And I need to get something out of the back, do you have the keys?"

"Oh yes, right here..."

Rika smiled as the two of them wandered off, and patted her jacket, searching for something in her pockets.

Kohta returned a short while later, Saya and Shizuka with him, and everyone was gathered in the main hallway. After a brief discussion, they agreed to spend two nights and one day at the springs so everyone had a chance to rest and recover before deciding what to do next. Saya and Kohta would determine if the place would make a suitable fortress for long-term occupation, but overall, they didn't think it would. So they might have to move on, but for now they could put that decision off.

"Everyone alright with that?" asked Takashi.

Everyone nodded.

"Then let's take advantage of things while it's still light out and make use of the springs."

"Oh hot water sounds heavenly right about now," murmured Shizuka, an ecstatic look on her face. "Kinda a shame we don't still have our swimsuits from the Mimei though."

"Mimei?" asked Rika.

"It was this big beautiful boat we were on for a while..." Shizuka explained, detailing their seaside adventures for the SAT officer as the girls started to slip out of the room one-by-one, finding towels and yukata's but having no luck with bathing suits. Evidently they'd have to bathe _au naturale_.

Kohta held back long enough to share a wink with Takashi, perhaps enjoying the idea. Takashi smirked, firmly hoping their marksman wasn't taking to his head to do some peeping, but paused as another thought occurred to him, halfway through the door.

"Actually, before we bathe, I was wondering if you could help me with something, Minami-san?"

"Please, call me Rika," she said. "And what can I do for you, Komuro-kun?"

"If I can call you Rika, you can call me Takashi," he replied, smiling faintly. He reached up and tugged down on one of his unruly black locks, which nearly descended down to his chin. "I need someone to give me a haircut, I swear if it gets much longer than this..."

She gave a brief laugh. "Good idea. I think I could use a trim too. Anyone else?"

"I think I could benefit from a new look," replied Saeko, as Saito raised his hand by her side. Which was good, because Shizuka probably would've had his hair cut regardless, it was making him look positively feral, so long and uncut along his ears and neck. Everyone else declined, as Rika escorted her victims into an unused room.

* * *

Saito produced some blunted, safety scissors from his worn backpack which proved suitable for the task at hand, and between Rika and Shizuka, everyone in need or with desire for a haircut received one. Takashi brushed a hand through now much shorter spikes, feeling about ten pounds lighter, and smiled. Strange how something so simple had lifted his spirits.

He'd gone on ahead, now that his hair was cut, and used a sink to rinse down any lingering follicles before slipping into the men's side of the springs, not wanting to get hair in the water. Kohta was already there, the water lapping at his chest, as Takashi entered. He'd stripped off most everything, and even removed his glasses and eyepatch. The scar didn't look so bad as Takashi had half-suspected it might, but it did serve as a reminder of just how much trouble they'd all gone through since the Outbreak had begun. Gingerly he touched his side, seeing his own scar just above his hip, then brushed away his concerns and stepped to the edge of the spring, slipping a foot in to test the water. They could both hear giggling from the other side of the bamboo fence that separated their two sides, and Takashi smiled, imagining the mischief the girls were no doubt getting up to.

The dark-haired boy gave a heavy sigh as the warm, steamy hot water washed over him and he sank into it all the way up to his neck. Contrasting sharply with the cool air, the water was indeed like soothing fire as it washed over his sore body, easing his aches and renewing his energy.

"S'nice, isn't it?" asked Kohta.

"Mhm," he agreed, eyes half-closed, leaning back against the rocks. "I could stay here forever."

Kohta glanced up as more giggling resounded from the other side of the wall. "Sounds like they could too."

The taller boy smirked at that, closing his eyes fully and allowing a little indulgence to his imagination, wondering just what the girls were up to on the other side. Rei and Saeko in particular...

A muted splash caused him to quirk an eyebrow open, but it was only Saito coming to join them, slipping into the hot water at the far end of the spring, furthest from Takashi and Kohta. He still didn't seem to be fully comfortable around either of them, or maybe he'd just always been shy, but they gave him his distance, grateful for all he'd done for the group already.

Thanks to Rika's efforts, Saito now had his dark, navy-blue hair cropped short in an almost military fashion, shortest around his ears and slightly longer atop of his head. It exposed more of his features to full visibility, particularly his big, bright eyes. He had a very pretty face, which Takashi suspected would mature to downright handsome when he was older. If he'd been born a decade earlier he'd have a string of broken hearts following him by the time he entered high school.

Another world, another time...

Takashi sucked in a deep breath and thrust his head under the water, letting it wash over him completely, and shook out his dark locks of hair before re-emerging, making sure they were thoroughly soaked. Sucking in fresh oxygen, he breathed out slowly, almost as a sigh. And with that, all of his concerns, his fears, his doubts... melted away. Oh yes, he had most definitely needed this. He could only imagine how relaxing this must have been for the others.

The three boys soaked in comfortable silence for perhaps another ten minutes before Kohta slipped out of the hot water. "I'm going to make a sweep around the place," he stated, adjusting his eyepatch and slipping his glasses on over it.

"Now?" asked Takashi, a little surprised.

"Can't be too careful."

The taller boy shrugged at that, it wasn't too unreasonable. "Alright, but make sure you get some rest and don't march up and down the walls all day and night."

Kohta smirked at the thought and tossed off a jaunty salute in his jeans before he finished dressing, slipping out of the springs quietly.

* * *

Meanwhile, less than five feet away...

"Eek! Two on one isn't fair!" Saya shouted as loud as she dared, as Rei and Saeko attacked her with well-placed splashes of hot water.

"I'll protect you, big sis!" replied Alice, splashing Rei in retaliation. Saya quickly joined in, and the four girls went at their little watery war with gusto and enthusiasm, giggling breathlessly.

"Uhm, you really shouldn't be goofing around so much," said Shizuka, who had seated herself, knowing or not, next to a sign that said no rough-housing. One that virtually no one in the spring was paying attention to.

Rika smirked, lifting up the Cuban cigar in her hand for a quick puff. It was a habit she rarely indulged in, but if ever there was a finer time to smoke'em if you got'em, it was during the End of the World. She'd offered one to Shizuka, but the blonde had politely declined.

"This is so not fair," whined Saya, clutching her arm. It was still covered in a light bandage to keep the water from seeping into her cuts. "Two on one and I'm injured, that's just mean."

"Two on two," Alice corrected.

"One and a half maybe," muttered Saya, rubbing the top of Alice's head. "And I'm still injured, so we're back down to one. It's simple math."

"Math she says," remarked Rei with a smirk. "It's only a scratch, even Shizuka-sensei says so. Quit whining like a little baby"

"I'll show you a baby!" Saya roared, springing on the ginger-haired girl and eliciting another round of water wrestling, shrieking, and laughing from the spectators.

For the most part, none of the girls had really gotten their hair cut much shorter, just some trimming around the face to keep things neat and orderly. The only real exception had come from Saeko, who'd bluntly requested it be cut in a very short, pixie-style. It framed her face now, not even quite brushing against the back of her neck, and every so often she lifted a hand to brush through it self-consciously.

She'd kept the long strands of hair, though for what purpose, they couldn't be sure.

After a while, the splashing and wrestling died down, all the nervous energy gone, and the women just relaxed in the steaming hot water. "Can we play some other game?" asked Saya, wringing out her pink locks and looking annoyed. Which was difficult because she couldn't focus her gaze properly without her glasses. So she settled on an all-encompassing Glare of Doom.

Shizuka's hand instantly went up into the air. "Ooh, I know, we can play Truth and Lies!"

"I don't think I'm familiar with that game," said Rei, puzzled. "How do you play?"

Rika answered, slipping into the springs more fully to let the hot waters wash over her. "It's quite simple actually. One person says three things, and another guesses which one is the truth. The trick is trying to say three things that all sound like they're equally as truthful, when they're not."

Saeko nodded her head softly, brushing a hand along her locks of violet hair. "Could you demonstrate for us?"

"Sure, I'll go first," replied Rika, pondering for a moment and taking a long drag from her Cuban before holding up her hand.

One finger raised up as she said, "I was once engaged to a handsome salaryman."

The second finger went up as she added, "I only made _second_ place in marksmanship at the Special Forces academy."

And finally the third finger raised. "And I've three younger sisters and an older brother."

The busty nurse pointed at the second finger.

"You had a cold that day," Shizuka proclaimed solemnly.

Rika made a face, but accepted defeat with relative grace. "Correct," she pronounced, grumbling. "I _would've_ made first place..."

"Mmhmm!" the blonde replied, all but bouncing up and down in the spring, giddy with victory. "Rika-chan never misses!"

Rei smiled, seeing why this could definitely be a fun game. It not only helped you practice how well you could tell a lie, but it also gave you greater insight into your friends based on what you learned from their truth and lies. It looked like a lot of fun, and now she wanted to try her hand at it.

"Me next!" proclaimed the ginger-haired girl.

Shizuka smiled and nodded, brushing a finger against her dainty chin as she thought long and hard on her statements. "Uhm... I once worked at a veterinary clinic for two months before I became a nurse at Fujimi High. Up until a year ago, I was still a virgin because no guy could work up the nerve to ask me out. And I almost failed my medical exam because I got distracted and forgot to put my name on the paper before I turned it in."

Everyone shared a laugh at that, fully able to believe just about every one of those little stories, but Rei focused hard on Shizuka's face, watching for telltale signs of a lie. It was impossible to get a good read on the blonde, however, and ultimately, she just had to guess, declaring "That does sound just like you, Shizuka-sensei. I think you forgot to put your name down."

The blonde blushed and ducked her head, nodding. "I almost failed, but the instructor was nice enough to call me back and gave me full credit when he found out the paper was mine."

Saya blinked, her mind processing. "So wait, does that mean...?"

"A-ah!" warned Rika, finger upraised. "Teller only has to say yes or no once the guess has been made. That gives them something to save for next time."

Rules firmly established, the girls launched into a fresh round of Truth and Lies, giggling at every silly misdirection tried. Saeko correctly guessed Rei's favorite desert was vanilla ice cream, but stumped little Alice with her own cryptic statements about herself and her past. Saya, on the other hand, did not even need to hear the final two sayings before she firmly proclaimed Alice's mother must have been rather whimsical when she gave her the middle name of Zoe. This proved to be correct.

Saya didn't play any further, instead slipping out of the springs to dry off and get some rest.

"I guess... my turn?" asked Saeko, regarding little Alice.

"Actually I think I wanna head in too," said the young redhead. "I'll get all wrinkly if I stay in too long."

"Me too," said Shizuka, standing up to climb out of the spring. As well as instantly earning the ire and jealousy of both Saeko and Rei, the mortification of Alice, and the amusement of Rika. "I wanna see if there's anything in the kitchen to eat."

"Let's hope she doesn't drink all the milk," Rei muttered to Saeko.

"Give me a minute, I'll come with," added Rika, extinguishing her cigar with a careful splash of water, then tossing the now wet and harmless cancer stick over the wall and off into the wilderness.

After the mass exodus concluded, only Rei and Saeko were left in the springs, and things got considerably quieter.

"That was certainly an interesting game," remarked the swordswoman.

Her companion nodded. "We should try this game with Takashi sometime. He'd enjoy it."

"Mmmm, I think another sort of game is in order," replied Saeko smoothly.

Rei looked at her curiously, but Saeko did not reply. Aloud, anyway. Instead, she flicked her gaze pointedly over her pale shoulder towards the bamboo barrier separating the Men's and Women's bathing sides. Rei frowned, puzzled, then blinked as realization set in. "Oh you are wicked, Saeko-chan," she whispered softly.

The Busujima swordswoman just grinned.

Adopting her most seductive timbre, Rei called out over the wall. "Taa-kaa-shii!"

There was a faint splash of water, as if they'd surprised him, and then a soft "Rei?"

She grinned, leaning up against the edge of the spring and almost the bamboo wall as well. "Takashi, we need a little help... seems we forgot to bring our... uhm..." she faltered, glancing at Saeko.

"Shampoo," the dark-haired girl mouthed.

"Shampoo! Could you bring yours over?"

Beat. "Would you prefer I just toss it over the wall?" asked Takashi in a mild tone of voice, evidently on to their plan. Or at least, trying to remain gentlemanly.

"Oh no! We need it delivered _personally_," Rei called out to him. Saeko hid a grin behind her hand, trying to hold back a giggle.

There was some muffled splashes, and a few moments of silence as the two girls waited. Feeling particularly mischievous, Saeko slipped to one side as quietly as she could, ducking down low until she was almost wholly submerged, and hid out of sight as Rei waited in the middle of the spring. Just half a moment later, there was a gentle knock against the frame, since there was no actual door leading into the women's side.

"Come in," whispered Rei, feeling exceptionally sultry. She just hoped she wasn't coming across as slutty as well.

Takashi appeared, a towel wrapped around his hips and looking decidedly uncomfortable. Rei's grin just grew wider.

"Brought your shampooo_ooo_..." he trailed off, being treated to a rather generous sight. His imagination had been rather generous earlier but it still paled in comparison to the reality of just how beautiful the ginger-haired spear-wielder was. And here she lay, completely naked, collar deep in steaming hot water with the rising moon shining down on her. It reminded him of the mythological Tennyo, the heavenly maidens, and the myths that surrounded them. He smirked as a thought came to him, and he decided to have a little fun with her.

"Trade you the shampoo for your kimono," he said, stepping forward.

Rei giggled, beckoning him closer, and Takashi, seeing the spring otherwise empty, slipped into the hot water, waiting until it was well above his waist before he removed his towel and tossed it back onto the dry ground.

"Nothing I haven't seen before," said Rei simply, ruby eyes never leaving his.

"What can I say? I'm old fashioned," he replied, offering her the bottle of shampoo. But it almost slid out of his hands as she lifted herself up out of the water and slid towards him. He couldn't take his eyes off of her, the way the water was dripping just so off of pale, silky smooth mounds...

He was so deeply enchanted by Rei he'd failed to note the other figure in the springs with them, stealthily slipping around behind him. And he almost gave a shout when something even warmer than the water pressed up behind him, and a pair of sensual arms wrapped around his midsection.

"Someone enjoys sneak attacks..." he muttered, even as he smiled and gave Saeko a kiss on the temple.

"Her idea," added Rei, leaning in to hug Takashi from the front, thoroughly crushing him between the two of them. Not that he was complaining.

"So, you want me to wash your hair too?" he asked with a grin.

Saeko smirked, shaking her head, and just pointed at Rei as the other girl released Takashi. Saying nothing, the petite ginger-haired girl just lifted up her long, luxurious locks of hair and pointedly turned her back to Takashi, presenting her more vulnerable side to him.

For just a little while, he kept up the pretense, and he applied the shampoo to her hair, while Saeko did the same thing beside him. If their hands brushed against one another in most decidedly "accidental" fashion, well, not one of them was complaining. Takashi smiled as the scent of vanilla filled the air. It didn't take long before playful caresses turned into gentle fondles, and from there, passionate embraces and even better, kissing.

It might have seem a little fast paced, save for the fact that it had been many days, possibly weeks, since they had last had a chance to be intimate with one another. Between the mad rush from the Black Sun sanctuary, the surgery at the clinic, the chaos at the gas station, even finding Rika, they hadn't had a single moment alone. Someone or another was always hovering nearby, though that was ultimately a good thing. Family should stay close, and they were a family, if a strange one. All the same, Takashi felt like a man dying of thirst who had just plunged into a desert oasis. He could not get enough. His lips devoured Rei's as his hands ravaged Saeko, and the two girls responded in kind, just as anxious to touch him as he was to touch them. To feel that connection, that warmth, that told them they were not alone.

The moment was progressing almost a little too rapidly though, and Takashi sighed deeply as he finally broke the kiss, even as he leaned in to nuzzle his lips against Rei's shoulder. If they didn't stop soon things might go a bit too far. He was about to try and stop things, which seemed less challenging than taking on a horde of zombies, when there came the sounds of footsteps from the doorway.

Rei and Takashi split apart as if their bodies had suddenly caught fire, and Takashi pointedly shifted his figure to hide the girls behind his shoulders, letting them preserve their modesty even as they sank into the water.

It was little Alice, standing just inside the frame. She looked a little confused, but thankfully she seemed just a bit too young to get what they were actually doing, and only saw a boy in the girl's side of the bath. The broad strokes, but not the finer details.

"Uhm, big sis Saya said they found some vending machines and ping-pong tables in the Rec Room," she explained. "Uh... she said they were going to play for candy, if you wanted to join and uhm... that's it," she finished, looking decidedly awkward.

"Thanks for letting us know," said Takashi, remaining in the water. No way he could get out now, not with his towel out of reach.

Rei smiled and waved over his shoulder at the little sister. "We'll be along in fifteen minutes!" she called out as Alice slipped out of the springs.

"Twenty," amended Saeko, clinging to Takashi's arm and pressing against him in a most sensual manner. "At least."

Takashi stifled an amused grin, but his voice was serious. "Girls..."

The ginger-haired girl sighed and leaned against his back, and Takashi felt his resolve crumble as sweet mounds of heavenly delight pressed against his back. "We never get to have any fun," Rei whined.

* * *

"This is so much fun!"

Saya smirked as little Alice batted at the ping-pong ball, knocking it off the other side and past her opponent. Poor Saito kept missing but, with typical male stubbornness, refused to give up. He plopped another chocolate bar on the edge of the table beside Alice's ever-growing hoard, and they played another round.

It was Kohta's idea, as he'd been the one to discover the vending machines in the Rec Room and liberate their contents. He'd divided up everything into nine piles, and reasoned that if they didn't like the contents of their pile, they could try their hand at playing for what they did want from someone else's. It was a way to keep the games more interesting.

Saya and Kohta had played the first round, and now were replaced by the little ones as they took a break to count their victories. Rika had promised to play the winner, but in the meantime was just watching with a smile, leaning back on a nearby couch with Saya. It felt more like a vacation than anything else, and after so many days of running and hiding, fighting, killing, and worse... it was relaxing to let the weight of the world fall away for a while and just play some friendly games.

Saito plopped another candy on the table.

"Best out of seven?" asked Alice.

He nodded, paddle at the ready.

* * *

Takashi, Saeko and Rei were reluctant to leave the spring but with the moment between them largely ruined they decided to wait for the next. They grabbed up some onsen yukatas, setting towels out to dry and clothes aside for tomorrow's laundry, and made their way to rejoin the others in the Rec Room. However, Shizuka was waiting for them in the hallway, hands on her hips, and looked unusually stern. True, it was about as terrifying as being confronted by a fuzzy white rabbit, but still, Takashi remembered how in some films those weren't as harmless as they'd first appeared.

"Can we have a word, Takashi-kun?" she asked as they got closer, advancing on him.

Smooth as silk, the two girls walking at his sides suddenly advanced and slid in front of him, almost to the point of bumping shoulders, forming a barrier between Takashi and Shizuka. Shizuka was undeterred by the display.

"I'm not going to hurt him, girls, but this is important."

"It's okay," he said, patting Rei and Saeko both on the shoulders. "Go on, we won't be long."

Reluctantly, they went on ahead, and Takashi was left in the hallway with the blonde nurse. Once alone, her face softened a little.

"Alice told me what she saw when she came to get you both," Shizuka said gently. "Takashi..."

He rubbed the back of his head self-consciously. "We weren't... doing anything-" he tried.

She gave him a look that plainly said she didn't believe him. "Listen, I'm-"

"Look, we're adults here, practically, and I don't see how it's anyone's business what we do. I mean, the whole world's ended, and... well... I like them. I really do. They help... they help complete me," he stammered, his tongue feeling too large for his mouth. "And I know we're young but they're all I have and-"

"Takashi..." she gently interrupted. He pressed on, worried if he stopped now he wouldn't be able to get this out.

"No, listen! Please, it's important to me. _They're_ important to me. I know you probably don't approve. We... well... I just want to-"

Shizuka slapped him.

To be fair, it was a gentle slap, more like pressing her palm against his cheek just enough to turn it, but it certainly got his attention, and shut him up almost instantly. Just from the sheer shock of gentler-than-a-bunny Shizuka Marikawa actually _slapping_ someone.

"Komuro-kun," she said. "I agree with you. I'm happy for you, I really am. Plus, luck-ee! Two girls at once? I know some men who have to beg to get something like that."

He felt himself blush all the way down to his toes at that one.

"But, I want you to be careful," she continued on, and pressed something into his hand. Curious, Takashi looked down. A single wrapped condom rested in his open palm. "It's one of Kohta-kun's. I don't think we have too much to worry about with transmitted diseases," Shizuka continued on, "But is this really the ideal time for anyone here to be pregnant?"

He shook his head, the idea scaring him a little. A child... _his_ child... growing up in a world like this? And that was assuming the girls survived, he'd read and heard all sorts of horror stories about women who didn't handle pregnancy well, who died in the procedure. And that was in well-stocked, full powered, doctor-operated hospitals. Right now all they had was Shizuka-sensei and a roll of the dice.

Takashi's fingers closed around the condoms and he nodded solemnly. "You're right, of course. Thank you, Shizuka-sensei."

She brightened considerably with that, and gave him a peck on the cheek before ushering him back into the room with the others. There were games to play, after all, and she wanted to have her turn.

* * *

Laughter flowed freely, and Takashi's face ached from smiling so much. He felt whole again for the first time in a long time, almost like everything was back to normal again. Obviously it wasn't, but right now, he figured he could indulge.

Everybody was enjoying the games, which had started off somewhat rusty, but now were in full swing. He'd managed to lose most of his chocolates, but in truth, he didn't really like them much, so no real loss. Plus, he'd completely thrown the bout with Saito just to get him a few more pieces in his own pile. That cheered up the boy immediately, so it was worth any personal loss. Alice was still dominating the ping-pong table, however, having surprising skill with the paddle.

Right now, however, she was acting as a referee for a match between Saya and Shizuka, the former of whom had decided the latter would be an easy target. She went easy for the first few swings, then swung hard on the next. Shizuka took a wide swing, but her cleavage, poorly bound by the loose yukata, bounced at the wrong moment and she stumbled, slightly off-balance from the sudden shift in weight. The little ball missed her paddle, bounced off her breasts instead, and hit the corner of the table on Saya's side before dropping unceremoniously onto the floor.

"Still counts!" declared Alice, arms up in an official referee pose she'd once seen on TV.

"That's ridiculous!" Saya angrily protested. "Bouncing off her boobs does _not_ still count!"

Beside Takashi, Rika was laughing her head off like a hyena, endlessly amused by her nurse friend's antics.

Thinking of that, Takashi glanced over at her. "Is she always like this?"

"Nah, wait until you see her toss back a few, then she's really fun."

Well remembering their time together at Rika's house, when the blonde had been intoxicated, Takashi was forced to agree.

Their game finished, Saya and Shizuka stepped down, while Rei and Saeko stepped up onto the field, and Takashi lifted his head to watch, curious to see how the match would go. To his puzzlement, neither was wagering any candy, but Rei stopped, paused, and whispered something into Saeko's ear, making the swordswoman's eyes widen. _Interesting_, he mused. _I wonder if that means trouble for me_, he thought as he noticed them both glancing in his direction every so often.

Saeko pondered her paddle, and Takashi almost laughed as he saw her gripping the handle like it was a sword hilt. Maybe she was a little out of her element. Rei on the other hand looked positively psyched, posturing like a battle maiden about to enter a war zone.

"Serve," said Saeko, dropping the ball and giving it a light tap to get things started. Rei returned the favor, also starting off easy. However, the courtesy didn't last, and the match quickly heated up as neither girl seemed interested in losing, and both showed surprisingly good hand-eye coordination and technique. Back and forth, back and forth went the ball, and everyone watched with eager anticipation to see who would be the first to fumble or miss.

"You're quite good at this," said Alice, still refereeing. Neither girl paid her the slightest bit of attention, however, they were thoroughly locked onto one another and the bouncing paddle ball. Takashi raised an eyebrow, a little worried. They were unusually aggressive over something so trivial.

Back and forth, back and forth.

Takashi almost felt like he was getting dizzy watching the ball. They had started just patting it back and forth, now they were coming close to attacking the defenseless white orb. They were determined to win.

Finally, it ended.

Saeko's paddle slipped from her fingertips a fraction, tilting so that her next move, instead of striking the ball at an angle to send it back to her opponents side of the ping pong table, missed completely. It struck the ground by her foot and bounced, then rolled over to where Zeke was resting, prompting a curious look from the confused canine.

Instantly, all animosity left the two girls, and Rei and Saeko shook hands and shared a hug, whispering something between them. Something about their wager, Takashi guessed.

"What was that all about?" he asked lightly as the three of them moved away from the table. The others drifted off to various games and tasks.

They shared a set of wicked grins. "You'll see," Rei sing-songed.

Takashi felt a shiver run down his spine.

* * *

As the day turned to night and darkness wrapped its inky fingers around the Firewater Springs, the games drew to a close in favor of lighter, quieter activities. Reading or the like. Or in the case of Kohta Hirano, disassembling and reassembling his AR-10 rifle, and taking stock of his single remaining magazine, bullet by bullet. With so little ammunition left, he made it a point to double-check every last copper-clad round.

"Still going at it?" inquired Rika as she walked past, crossbow in hand.

"Almost finished," he replied, checking along the sight with his good eye. "You definitely bought quality when you got her."

Rika smirked. "_Her_?" she asked.

Kohta looked down. "Er, it... you know what I mean."

Rika patted him on the head and slipped out of the day room, leaving Kohta to his work. Making sure his weapon was cleaned, he assembled it, loaded, primed, and shrugged it against his shoulder as he stepped back into the hallway, stepping over Zeke. The little canine was asleep against the doorframe, and only awoke to be certain it was just Kohta before drifting back off into doggy dreamland.

Kohta liked this place, it had high, sturdy walls and only one means of entry, and that was protected. Kohta and Saya had even strung up some empty cans to make some noise in case anyone tried to get in. Still, he hadn't survived this long by being careless, he had a family to protect. But they could enjoy their downtime, he would cover the watch himself.

He'd stay awake all night if he had to...

As he walked past one of the rooms, the door slid open, and a hand reached out, grabbing a hold of his yukata, and yanked him inside. He did not have time to cry out before the door closed shut, trapping him inside.

Half a minute later, the door slid open again, and Saya poked her head out to check the corridor, before hanging a 'Do Not Disturb' sign and sliding the door closed again.

* * *

Even though it was one of the more restful days they'd had in a very long time, it wasn't very long before Takashi started to feel light-headed and lethargic. He supposed he could blame part of that on the soak in the spring, but whatever the reason, there was a futon in the inn somewhere calling his name.

"I'm heading to bed," he half-whispered to Rei and Saeko, giving both the girls a gentle kiss on the cheek to show his affection before making his way down the hallway, selecting a room seemingly at random. One didn't really matter over another, he supposed. But upon further reflection, he did unroll three futons once he'd selected his room. He glanced over at the window, taking a moment to shutter it and latch it securely closed. The glass wouldn't hold up to a strong assault, but it would give them warning if someone tried to break in. As for the rest, well, his club was within easy reach.

He lay on his futon a long while, gazing up at the ceiling. Despite the lethargy of his body, his mind was active, and he didn't fall into dreams easily. He thought long and hard instead about Shizuka's words and what they meant for the group. They had to really start thinking about the future, not just keep running from place to place, hoping no one would catch up to them. Or be waiting for them. They needed to find a place to stop running... and start living.

His thoughts were interrupted by a gentle tapping at the door frame, which slid open to reveal Rei.

"Takashi? Are you still up?"

He nodded, sitting up on his futon, the covers falling to his waist. "Couldn't sleep."

Rei smiled warmly at that. "Good," she said, and without further ado, untied the front of her yukata and shrugged it off, letting it fall to the floor. She wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing underneath.

She was so small, he realized, but so perfect. Her skin was pale from lack of exposure to the sun, and together with her tiny size she looked like a porcelain doll, that he could break if he wasn't careful. It was no surprise she was more than a little endowed, with full breasts and curvy hips that only Shizuka-sensei could put to shame. But right now, there was no comparison, because no other woman mattered in his mind. All he saw was Rei, with her bright ruby eyes and wide smile, her reddish-orange locks of hair sticking up into two adorable antennae as she stood there in the moonlight for him to see.

She kneeled down beside his futon and kissed him, stealing his breath away before he could say anything. He lay back slowly as she slid atop of him, their bodies pressed together in the near darkness.

He almost didn't think, but a moment later he gently broke the kiss, gazing up at her.

"But... Saeko...?" he murmured, capturing her wrists. He tilted his head so he could look her in the eyes. "It... isn't it unfair for us to be doing this without her?" he asked, well aware he was treading on very, very thin ice. The last thing he wanted was Rei to be jealous of Saeko, but likewise, he didn't want the other girl to feel excluded.

Rei looked insulted for only a fraction of a second, however, and then smiled, seemingly amused by his remark. She leaned in to impart some secret to him, ginger locks brushing against his shoulder.

"That's what we were playing over in that last game," she whispered into his ear. "For your first time. And ours."

Blink.

_Wow... wait_... "But..."

"We decided it's the only way to be fair," she said. Then, more hesitantly, added "But uhm, well... if you'd rather..."

He gently kissed her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders to cradle her head to his chest. She could hear his heart beating inside of it.

"I just don't want either of you to be upset," he whispered. "I love you too much to do that."

"We won't be," she promised, and gently kissed him again. This time he responded, tightening his embrace as she shifted to straddle his hips, trapping his stirring manhood against her moist sex. She deepened the kiss, her tongue about to slip into his mouth when there came a rap at the doorway, and they both glanced up.

"Er... yes?" Takashi called out.

"It's Saeko," the swordswoman's voice drifted through the paper-thin doorway.

"We're decent," replied Takashi, taking a moment to tug up the covers of the futon a little higher along Rei's back. Saeko slipped into the room like a ghost, making her way to their side.

"I thought you said I got him first?" asked Rei, puzzled and a little annoyed that the mood had been ruined. Again.

Saeko also slipped out of her yukata and into the covers with them both. "That does not mean I don't want to participate..." she explained with a smile.

* * *

Rika watched the twinkle of starlight. Marred only by the fact that it wasn't also filled by the occasional wisps of nicotine smoke. Much as she wanted to, she really should be quitting. She was down to her last cigar anyway.

"Quiet?"

"Peaceful," corrected Rika, as Shizuka joined her on the porch. Little Zeke padded along by her feet, skipping down the steps into the yard to explore as the two women sat together in the moonlight.

"How're the kids?"

"All gone to bed, I think," replied Shizuka. "Takashi is sleeping with Saeko and Rei in the first room down..."

"Luck-ee," remarked Rika with a smirk.

The blonde giggled. "I know, right? And Saya and Kohta are on the other side, near the springs."

"And the little cherubs?" the former Sergeant asked.

Shizuka nodded. "Sleeping in the big room one over. And I rolled out two more futons for you and me to join them."

"Mmm, sounds perfect..."

"Mmm, perfect... kinda reminds me of that trip we took to the beach one time."

Rika giggled. "We got drunk and woke up the next morning with all the candles burned out."

"We should do that again, sometime..."

"Might have to make a rain check on that... but we'll see," replied Rika.

Shizuka felt a lump form in her throat and her eyes suddenly moisten.

_"Looks like I might have to make a rain check on that date, Shizuka-sempai," Cheisu said with a weak chuckle._

"Shizuka? Everything alright?"

The nurse hesitated, then latched onto an idea. A stupid idea, maybe, but she went with it. "Play a game of Truth and Lies with me?"

Rika raised an eyebrow, sitting up, tugging her yukata more tightly closed. "Alright. Go ahead."

"I converted to Christianity."

"Kohta was teaching me how to use a gun like you do."

"A-and I... I killed a man. A living man."

Rika didn't even need to guess. Even knowing Shizuka as well as she did, the hitch in her voice had spelled it out for her when she'd come to option number three. This wasn't a game so much as a confession.

"Oh, come here," Rika opened her arms, and Shizuka all but flew into them, clinging to the purple-haired woman for support. "Now, did this person have it coming?" she asked lightly.

Shizuka shook her head. "Cheisu-san was _very_ nice. He was a perfect gentleman."

"Did he look at your _face_ when he talked to you?" asked Rika, not wholly convinced. Shizuka would think someone was kinda nice if they smiled while they talked about torturing cute woodland critters.

"S-sometimes," replied the blonde. "Most of the time."

"Was he bitten?"

And just like that, the lump in her throat was back and she couldn't get a word out, so Shizuka settled on a brief nod.

_That explains it_, thought Rika. "Then you didn't have any choice."

"B-but..."

"No buts," replied Rika firmly. "You did him a favor, I've seen what happens after you get bit. It's agony. It's no different from when they pulled the plug on that little girl who was in a vegetative state."

"She could've pulled through! A-and I could've maybe found a way to help him! Instead I killed him! With his own gun!"

"You also kept an eye on all these kids. You saved their lives at least a couple times from what I've been hearing. I hear it was even you who insisted they bring along the boy when you found him."

Zeke had made his way over to the two ladies side, and was rubbing against their ankles.

"You're so adorable," Rika said, patting the little puppy on the head. "See? Bet Zeke doesn't think poorly of you. He thinks you're a wonderful, if a bit ditzy."

Zeke barked, though whether or not he understood was debatable.

"Rika-chan is being mean," Shizuka said with a cute little pout, lower lip trembling.

The purple-haired woman just smiled. "Awww, you're adorable too," she said, and patted Shizuka on the head in the same fashion. The blonde gave a silly 'Arf!' in reply, wagging a non-existent tail.

"It's not going to be easy, Shizuka. But I'm here now. Anytime you want to talk, I'm here for you," Rika said. "Now... why don't you tell me all about your boyfriend?"

"He wasn't my boyfriend!" Shizuka protested with a giggle. "We'd barely met. I think you'd have liked him, he was very nice. And very handsome."

Rika smirked. "Oh? Did he declare his undying love for you?"

She giggled at that, shaking her head. "We didn't... we didn't get a chance," she finished more soberly.

"I'm sure he's thankful, Shizuka. There're worse ways to go."

The two women, separated for so long and finally reunited, held onto one another tightly. As if fearful the winds of fate, so kind, would turn cruel in an instant and sweep them apart without warning. Shizuka's head drooped, however, her eyelids feeling heavy. She needed to sleep, but much as she wanted to, she couldn't stay out here to do so.

"Thank you Rika," she said. "Let's go to bed."

"You go on ahead," replied Rika. "I think I'll stay out here a bit longer."

"Won't the cans let us know if anyone gets in?"

The former SAT sniper shook her head. "I prefer to rely on my own eyes and ears. Go on, you big baby," she said, lightly pushing on Shizuka's shoulder. "I promise I'll be there in an hour or two."

Shizuka nodded, barely able to keep her head up, and crawled inside to find her futon with the little ones. Rika stayed outside, absent-mindedly patting Zeke as she watched the sky again. She felt her stomach tighten again, her insides churning, but breathed in for a moment, and then relaxed. She couldn't afford to get sick at a time like this. She had to keep watch, protecting her charges. She was just about to go inside herself when she spotted something in the air. A flicker of white in the starless night sky.

And then another, and another, and more besides. A few tiny flurries of white falling from the cool night sky down towards her. She held out a hand to catch one, curious despite herself. One of the white dots fell into her outstretched palm, cool as ice, and vanished as it melted near instantaneously, leaving her with little doubt as to its identity.

"Hmmm, it's snowing," she remarked.

* * *

Takashi was grinning like an idiot that next morning.

It went without saying he'd had a wonderful night. He'd never felt so alive, not even in the days leading up to the Outbreak. It's like something he'd been looking for his entire life had just fallen right into his lap. His first time with Rei had been magical. And then there had been his second time, with Saeko.

And sometime in the middle of the night he'd lost count. He wasn't even sure which parts were a dream and which were sweet, wonderful reality. He made a mental note to pick up more condoms at the first opportunity, eager to do it again.

There was a flash of light, almost blinding Takashi, still trying to adjust his eyes to the ambient light. When he could see again, he saw only Saito with his little camera, already tugging loose his latest image. He showed it to Takashi, who looked more than a little loopy, bushy-haired and sleepy-eyed, but smiling.

Happy.

"Thank you Saito," he said, accepting the image to admire for a moment, then handing it back. Apparently the boy was keeping some of them in his backpack. Maybe he hoped to make a scrapbook at some point, but of course it was hard to tell without him being able to communicate. Still, whatever made you happy. Takashi walked on towards the kitchen, opening the shutters to let in some morning light.

He had some vague idea about finding something to cook for breakfast, and passed by the lounge where they'd been playing last night. Something caught his eye, however, and he spotted a calendar on the far wall. Idly, he made his way over to it, and counted the days in his head, making a few adjustments for the passage of time. _Hmmm, so today was..._

His eyes widened.

_Oh good grief_, he thought. _Today was... is_...

A very loud, very wet noise caught his ear, and Takashi tilted his head. It sounded like someone being sick. He leaned his head out of the doorway, glancing down the hall towards the restrooms.

Rika emerged moments later, her face slightly damp, as if she'd splashed water on it. "Morning, Takashi. Everything alright?"

"I was about to ask the same. Are you feeling okay?"

"Just a bit... under the weather I guess," replied the purple-haired woman. "Threw up a bit. But I think that's cleared the worst of it out."

"I was thinking about taking a quick trip into town, we can go get some medicine today if you want... just a quick little side-trip."

She patted his shoulder as she entered the kitchen, filling a glass with some water. "That's sweet, but don't worry about me. I'm fine, really. Probably just something I ate."

Reluctantly he nodded. "Anyone else up?"

"I think I saw Kohta-kun carrying the laundry, and Saito just a moment ago in the hall, but that's about it. All the girls are sleeping in. Must be _tired_," she said with a saucy smirk and a knowing grin.

Takashi blushed just a little. "Wouldn't know anything about that," he said innocently, grabbing a nearby pencil and scrap of paper, setting about to make a shopping list. "Okay, if not medicine, anything you _do_ need?"

* * *

Everyone's clothes were washed and dried, thanks to Kohta and Saya, who passed them out after breakfast was finished. After that more than a few wanted another chance to using the springs again. Last night had been idyllitic and peaceful, but none had any illusions that it would last. Best to enjoy it as much as they could and move on.

Takashi, however, was adamant about a quick side-expedition. Not the whole group, just one or two who could grab a few things they lacked and return to the spring. So, he'd gotten a short list ready, and recruited Kohta to come along with him on the bike, as well as the keys from Rika, on the solemn promise they'd bring it back in one piece.

"If it comes down to it, I'll sacrifice Kohta before I abandon your bike," Takashi solemnly promised, and that with his partner standing not five feet away from them. The look on the marksman's face was priceless. Rika had laughed at that and tossed them the keys, well aware the other boy was joking about his priority. But she did love that bike, and she'd hate to see it ruined or lost.

Satisfied they had transportation, Takashi went to go find Saya and Shizuka, the last people he'd yet to receive any input from. He was looking for the former when he'd all but stumbled across her pink-haired girl on the porch, getting her hair braided by Saeko.

"Trying a new look?" he asked.

"I'm not going to just keep it the same, not if you all are changing character designs on me," she muttered, keeping her head still. "Besides..."

Alice chose that moment to enter the room, beaming brightly. She'd also restyled her hair, the bright red follicles arranged in a familiar pair of pigtails on either side of her head.

Saeko smirked and continued to braid the fuschia locks. Saya was done moments later, and Takashi had to admit, the look suited her. Without the pigtails that seemed more appropriate on a little girl, the Takagi heiress looked considerably more mature and level-headed. It was easier to see her for the genius she was.

"Well, don't just stand there gaping," she muttered. "Let's get organized!"

_And just like that, she opens her mouth, and genius quickly becomes spoiled brat again. Le sigh_, thought Takashi.

"I'm planning a little trip into the nearby town to get a few things. Just me and Kohta so it's a quick trip. Any requests?"

"What have you already got?"

He showed her the list, and whispered quietly the real reason they were going. The eyebrows of both girls immediately rose up, and Saya smacked her head in realization. "Okay I do think I know of something good, make certain to check..." and she proceeded to give him instructions. He wrote them down as dutifully as he could. A short while later he was sitting on the porch with Kohta as the two of them tied up their shoes, both armed and ready to go. They were just on their way out when Rei appeared down the hallway, hair damp, evidently freshly from the springs.

"Oh, Takashi! Going somewhere?" she asked.

_Damnit_, he thought inwardly, outwardly keeping a neutral expression. _I was hoping not to run into her_.

"We're just going into town to get a few supplies," he replied, tilting his gaze, not meeting hers. "Nothing important."

"Can I come with?"

He hesitated. "Ah, actually, I'd rather you stay here if possible... it'd be good if you could stay and defend the place while we're gone. After all, your naginata was originally supposed to be used to defend homesteads, wasn't it?"

"But-"

"I'd feel safer if you did it," he replied smoothly, resting his hands on her shoulders. _Oh please don't let her ask why, don't let her come along. It'll ruin everything._

Still seemingly puzzled, eventually Rei smiled. "Alright, whatever you want, Takashi."

He slipped past her and to Rika's red motorcycle, Kohta already mounted on the back, his rifle strapped across his back. As the gates closed, he breathed out a sigh of relief. "That sure was close," he muttered.

Kohta nodded, wrapping his arms around the other boy's midsection to hold on tight.

He'd just revved up the bike and was ready to leisurely roll it down the hill when the gates came open again and Shizuka came running out, waving a piece of paper. "Takashi!"

He instantly stopped, glancing over at her.

"Takashi? Could you do me a favor and get something else while you're out?" asked Shizuka.

"Sure thing, whatcha need?"

She slipped him the piece of paper, refusing to answer aloud. "It's a secret, just get it if you can?"

Takashi glanced down at the paper, then back up at Shizuka curiously, puzzled by her request. "Uhm... sure. If I can. Can you do me a favor as well?"

When she nodded, he leaned in, whispering into her ear quietly. The older woman smiled and nodded. "Consider it done."

* * *

Takashi and Kohta made good time despite the slow pace they set, deliberately being extra careful since neither of them had helmets. The snow from earlier had all melted, the roads were slick with moisture but not yet icy. The small town wasn't too far from the springs, they'd passed by the turnover, and within minutes were cruising down the main strip between stores, searching for something that didn't seem like a lost cause. Like most places they'd been, it was largely abandoned, and they saw virtually no undead in the streets, unlike the big cities, where they were evidently more prevalent.

"Hey look at that."

Kohta pointed out a nearby pharmacy as they drove along, the door propped open, with a sign hanging in the window. 'Take what you Need' was written in big blocky kanji. Obviously the owner had left and decided not to bother protecting his wares. Very considerate of him. Takashi breathed a quiet thanks as he angled the bike into the empty parking lot, parked it, and slipped into the store. It was empty of zombies, for which he was thankful, but also largely stripped, likely by other looters. Still, enough salvageable materials were present for them to grab what they needed, and he passed off half of the list to Kohta so they could get what they needed and go quickly.

Some medicines in the back were still in plentiful supply, which Shizuka had pointed out they could make use of, as were some items of a more mundane, practical nature. Toothbrushes and paste, toiletries and such. Kohta even managed to snag a bottle of white wine and toss it into the carrying compartment of the motorcycle.

Takashi also ripped open a box of condoms and stuffed a few into his pockets. He supposed he could always lie and say he was getting them for Kohta's gun, but... somehow he didn't think anyone would believe him.

All in all, they were there and gone without any complications in under twenty minutes, and on their way back to the springs. Where the real fun awaited.

* * *

It was close to mid-afternoon or so, judging from the dim cloud cover, when Rika came to find Rei. The kimono-clad girl was relaxing on the porch, idly watching the skies and the gardens. The space between bamboo wall and onsen proper wasn't a very big one, and thus there wasn't much room to grow grass. That which had grown was starting to grow wild, long and untamed and a little sickly gray from lack of sunlight. Still, it was something natural and alive, and right now, that was something nice to see after so many streets of empty buildings and dead faces.

"Rei?"

The ginger-haired girl glanced up as the older woman made her way over to her side. "Rika-san. What's up?"

Rika gave an enigmatic smile and instead of answering the question, began to recite a prepared statement.

"Rei Miyamoto, daughter of Konpaku and Ririko Miyamoto, third granddaughter of Hitomi Miyamoto..."

"Huh, how do you know about that?" asked Rei, puzzled.

The purple-haired sniper continued on as if she hadn't even heard Rei's question. "Second year student at Fujimi High School after being held back a year, formerly Sub-Captain of the Soujutsu Club..."

"Look, what's this all about?"

Rika did not pause, but continued to rattle off information. "Height 164 cm, Waist 57 cm, Hips 88 cms, Bust..."

"Stop it!" demanded Rei, confused and a little angry. "What do you want?"

Now Rika finally did pause, regarding her with a most serious expression. "You're to come with me. The others and I have to talk to you about something very, very important. Perhaps critical."

Rei frowned, feeling decidedly vulnerable, especially without her naginata. But she reluctantly followed Rika as the older woman led her down the garden path, back into the onsen, and down the hallway to the game room. Curiously, the room was dark, the shutters had been drawn closed and the lantern extinguished.

"Why's it so dark?" asked Rei, feeling edgy.

"Oh, Takashi didn't want to let anyone know we were here, so he got the lights... allow me," said Rika with a smirk hidden by the shadows.

She gave the lantern's switch a flick...

"Happy Birthday, Rei!"

The ginger-haired girl imagined she'd almost jumped clean out of her skin as her friends, her _family_, all leapt out of hiding spots behind various pieces of furniture with their unexpected greeting. A flash of light, and Saito had the whole moment captured on film, as everyone swarmed her all at once, offering congratulations and warm hugs, which she returned numbly. It was overwhelming, and so unexpected, she scarcely knew what to do as they led the birthday girl over to a seat of honor in one of the comfier recliners, Takashi on one side, Saya at the other.

"So how old are you now, anyway?" asked Rika, leaning against the back of the couch where Shizuka had taken up residence.

"Eighteen," answered Takashi.

Kohta pushed over a table in front of Rei, and Alice came carrying the cake, baked by Shizuka. Unfortunately for the busty blonde, it showed, as it seemed a bit lopsided. Obviously her talent with medicine did not quite extend into the realm of baking as well. All the same, it looked delicious, and it was chocolate. Shizuka had even drawn with some frosting on top the number 18 and Rei's name, possibly to compliment the lone candle atop of it.

"Make a wish!" declared Alice.

Rei smiled, breathed in, and pictured in her mind everyone she knew and loved and all that they'd done for her. She wouldn't wish for a single thing to be different. She blew out the candle, and the others erupted into applause.

"Presents!" declared Alice again, after the candle was blown out, and one by one they presented them to Rei, even as Shizuka began to cut up the cake onto plates to serve. The little girl seemed determined to move things along so they could all see the gifts, even though they were all for Rei, and most of them had been picked up by Takashi and Kohta earlier at the behest of their respective gift-givers. Most weren't even wrapped, but nobody cared in the slightest.

Takashi got her a wristwatch. Not a fancy digital thing, this was a more old-fashioned but very beautiful analog watch which only needed to be properly wound to display the time and date. It still worked too.

A lotus hairclip was provided by Saeko, who placed it into Rei's hair after being unwrapped, holding back her reddish-brown tresses.

Adding to this was little Alice's gift, a pair of silver earrings.

Next to that, Kohta's present seemed considerably more out of place, once it was unwrapped. A folding army knife he'd secured from a Surplus store, it was very practical but decidedly ugly. All the same, Rei thanked him and put it away, determined to put it to good use, though these days it would likely be more of a tool than a weapon.

Shizuka had already baked the cake as her gift, and Saya added to these some rare white chocolates that came all the way from Germany, according to the wrapper.

Presents finished, it was time to party. Even though they had at least one of them always watching the gates in case of trouble, and they kept their celebration quiet, it felt warming to truly celebrate something so mundane again. Kohta produced some alcohol, earning a questioning glance from Rika and Takashi alike, but neither of them offered the slightest bit of protest, reasoning that the rules had long since gone out the window. And this was as good a time as any to get intoxicated. Even so, both of them abstained, wanting to keep clear heads. Shizuka did too, and did make a point to let Alice and Saito only get a taste and nothing more. Unsurprisingly, both kids hated it. This set everyone off laughing, even little Alice and Saito, the former of whom got revenge by telling a silly joke she'd heard in school, sending Shizuka rolling onto the floor alongside Zeke. Everybody took a turn at trying to outdo the last one. Rika told some of the funniest jokes, it turned out. Especially one about a Scout, a Spy, and a Medic. Rei was laughing so hard she could scarcely breathe.

"I haven't seen her this happy in a long time," remarked Takashi. He leaned quietly against the wall with Saeko, the two of them watching the others quietly.

The dark-haired swordswoman nodded, then took the opportunity to lean in and whisper into his ear.

"My birthday is May 5th," was all she said.

* * *

In the end, they ended up staying another night at the Firewater Springs, everyone was exhausted from partying and somewhat liberal use of alcohol. The next morning most everyone was bleary-eyed and some were just a bit hung over when they finally all gathered together for a group meeting in the Game Room. Takashi was bringing up the very important subject of whether or not they'd be remaining here full time, or pressing on.

"You all elected me leader, but I'd be a stupid one if I didn't consult our experts. Saya, Rika, Kohta. That's you. So tell me what our chances are if we decided to stay here, and use this place on a long-term basis. Is there _any_ chance we can salvage this?"

Saya just shook her head, but Kohta spelled it out for them. "Overall, this place would be good for a month, maybe two, before we'd have serious trouble. It's got good walls for keeping out maybe one or two of Them, but honestly? Right now our biggest trouble is living marauders, and none of them are going to be stopped very well by a chained gate and some high walls. Look how easily we got in, after all."

"Food will also be a concern," said Rika. "This may sound stupid, but the surrounding area isn't designed for farming, there's too many big trees in the way, to clear them out would take equipment we don't have and draw in too much attention. It's just not logistically sound."

"I thought the same but it's good to know we all feel the same way about this. So we keep movin' on. Now, I did some looking around earlier today, and I found these," he said, lifting up some travel and tourist brochures. They advertised various locales in the region for people to visit that showcased Japanese history and culture. He tossed them down onto the pool table for them all to see.

"What's your point?" asked Saya, picking up and tossing aside a brochure for a nearby Buddhist temple.

"I know, I know, most of these are no good... but then I came across this one," he said with a smirk, showing the last document he'd held onto.

Takashi unveiled his discovery, showing them all the plan. After Black Sun, he didn't intend to lead them on blindly anymore. They all got a say. They all got a chance to get their hopes up. But overall, once he'd highlighted the general idea, everyone seemed pretty much onboard with it, and really, going on with hope seemed better than trudging on like the walking dead.

It was darkly overcast when they last bid farewell to the Firewater Onsen and rolled on, the clouds in the sky thick and foreboding as snowflakes again began to fall to earth, coating the ground in a thin layer of whiteness. But in their hearts was lit a flame of hope that could not be extinguished so easily, that warmed their bodies and their lightened souls.

* * *

**Authors Notes:  
**Tadashi is the official name of the Miyamoto patron from the manga, but at the time of this story's original writing, I gave him Konpaku, and I'm sticking to my guns.

Going by the Chinese Zodiac, Saeko strikes me as a Snake, and their lunar Month is from May Fifth to June Fifth. Hence, the random date chosen as her birthday.

The scene previously here depicting Saeko, Rei, and Takashi's first time has been edited due to the sites new standards. Many apologies, but it remains available by request.


	14. 13 Dust to Dust

**_XIII – Dust to Dust_**

"_I will show you fear in a handful of dust_."

- **T.S. Eliot**.

* * *

**Japanese Countryside  
****0755 h****ours,  
****Z Day + 4****5**

A month and a half was a long time for things to change in a drastic fashion.

Once, the highways would be full of people going to and from the major cities, and on a busy morning, it would be impossible to go an hour or two without seeing at least one other car. Nowadays, it was the exception rather than the rule. So the streets were empty and the way clear. The only cars they saw were abandoned on the side of the road, usually devoid of gas.

It took maybe another day of careful driving to reach their destination, but as the sun crested over the horizon, Takashi gave a smile as he saw it in the distance. Their new home.

They'd arrived at the base of one of the three Holy Mountains, Mount Fukui. Even in the dim morning light, they could make out the majestic peak rising up behind their destination, seemingly touching the heavens itself. However, they were headed for the foothills, where a small structure was located. As they did, Takashi pulled out the brochure he'd procured back at the hot springs and leafed through it for a brief history.

Originally created prior to the Sengoku Jidai, or Feudal Era, the place had been a fortress holding off bandits and marauders. Later still, it served as a symbol of power for the ruling nobles. Shortly after World War II, it had been converted into a museum and tourist attraction, showcasing the age it had come from. And now, hopefully, in this new era, it would be a home for the weary survivors.

They had arrived at the castle.

Riding behind Rika on her bike, Takashi signaled for both the vehicles to come to a halt by raising his hand, then gestured to the very modern parking lot a short distance away from the castle, as well as a tourist center. The former lay a short while up the path, the latter sat innocently in the corner of the parking lot.

"Park us over there!" he said, having to shout to be heard as Rika slowed her bike. "Need to check the place out first."

"Yes sir," she replied, wheeling her bike around and kicking out the kickstand, then tugging down the scarf covering her face. Takashi slid off the bike, eagerly stretching his sore legs and shrugging off the helmet he'd borrowed from Alice. Riding for so long could be painful.

Shizuka and the truck rolled up beside them, and the rest of his family spilled out. Takashi outlined his plan as they stretched or prepared for action.

"Kohta, climb up on top of the truck, I want you as our eye. Spot anything, anyone, and let us know."

"How?" he asked.

Takashi paused, not having thought of that. "Ahm... well we don't want to make a lot of noise, just in case... hmmm."

"There can't be too many of Them here," remarked Rika. "This place looks pretty well abandoned to me."

"It's not the dead I'm worried about, it's the living. This place may already have survivors here."

"The car horn should still work," suggested Kohta.

Takashi nodded. "Shizuka, Alice, Saito. I need the three of you to stay here _in_ the truck. If Kohta spots trouble, honk the horn, then start up the engine. No way we'll miss that."

"What about us?" asked Rika, setting an arrow into her crossbow.

"Rika, if you could, check out the tourist center here. Saeko, you go with her, watch her back. Everyone else is with me, we'll head up the path to the castle. Meet back here..." he glanced up at the sky, which was still a depressing shade of gray. "About an hour."

The teams dispersed, Takashi and his group moving towards the gates of the castle, all the while tense for activity from either living or dead inhabitants. They found neither on their way up, just some gates. Very big, sturdy, wooden gates, the emblem of some sort of flower stretched across them. Part of the left gate was a door. Both were locked, but Takashi's club smashed the lock off of the smaller door, and then with little ado, he pushed it open to reveal the castle's interior.

An empty courtyard greeted them. Although lovely in an old-fashioned sort of way, it was cluttered with dead leaves and debris, obviously neglected. Immediately inside the gates was an empty stable, complete with hay and all manner of trappings, though it seemed most were historical replicas. Still, it was wide enough for the truck, and they could use it as a garage. The gates had a sturdy beam on the inside preventing them being opened but, from this side, they could do that with ease. Even better, the door could be locked from this side as well the other.

"It's so quiet," murmured Rei, weapon at hand. "Think anyone's here?"

Takashi shook his head. "One way to find out though," he said, cupping his hands and calling out, "Hello?"

Several tense minutes followed as the armed survivors watched, waited, and prepared. The call echoed away a moment later, and Takashi tried again, as loud as he dared with another "Hello?"

Silence.

"The _dead_ would've heard that," Saya deadpanned humorlessly. "But the living may just be hiding."

"I don't think so, I think Rika's right. But just to be safe, let's check every building, every nook and cranny," said Takashi. "And be careful not to hurt anyone, they might be scared."

"_They_ might be scared?" asked Rei skeptically.

Their search was exhausting but fruitful. The castle was indeed deserted, not a single soul to be found. As befitting a historical monument, the buildings were a mixture of styles from various eras of Japan's feudal history, but to a one, all were sturdy and largely serviceable. Even better, a well was found on the far side of the castle. They'd have to test the water to make sure it was safe to drink, but the fact that it was there was a hopeful one.

Takashi was more than a little relieved when the hour was up. He rejoined the others by the truck, and heard both of the other groups had encountered no problems either. The place was idyllic. Perfect, even. Things were definitely looking up for their little family.

* * *

First thing they did was grab anything useful out of the tourist shop, and move it to the castle proper. Then they carefully moved the truck up the hill, opened the gates, and parked it in the stable. More than a little careful maneuvering had been required, as well as Kohta and Saya acting as extra eyes and ears while Shizuka did it. Rika's bike joined it. Afterwards, they closed the gates, set the wooden block across them again, and sealed themselves inside.

They'd even re-christened the place 'Sankuchuari castle', hoping the name would prove prophetic, and it would indeed prove a sanctuary for them.

Keeping them safe.

What came next was far more difficult. Making the castle into a home.

* * *

Takashi awoke the next morning with a crick in his neck. He rolled off of the floor and to his feet, stretching out his arms and ruffling a hand through his grimy hair.

A far cry from the Firewater Springs, the Sankuchuari Castle hadn't been designed for real living. Most of the buildings were rather "open" as a matter of a fact so visitors could peer or walk around inside, and most did not have beds or even tatami mats. In the end, they'd been short two, and Kohta and Takashi had volunteered to enjoy the floorboards instead.

And that was only the beginning of their worries.

Takashi crawled out of the building he, Rei and Saeko shared. The very same building the castle lord would have stayed. Nearby was the well, and he made that his first destination. Mostly because he could smell cooking coming from that direction.

Saya had set up a fire and was boiling some water off to one side for their drinking, while Kohta and Rei did some cooking with the same fire. Shizuka and Alice were hanging up some laundry to dry, taking another advantage of the water provided. All in all, their motions were listless and tired, not the joyful serenity he'd expected. They'd made it safely, hadn't they? They were home, right?

"Morning," he called out as he sat down on a nearby bench and tried to shake the cobwebs from his brain. "Where's Saeko?"

"Meditating," Rei replied. "She wanted to check out the training hall we found yesterday."

He nodded. "We'll grab her later then. After breakfast we need everyone we can to start Saya's garden."

The pink-haired genius glanced up, nodding. Having found a book on the subject at the tourist center, she was now determined to secure their future by planting seeds in a grassy part of the courtyard and adding much needed fresh vegetables to their diet. The bag of seeds they'd been saving ever since Yokota would finally be put to use, after taking so long to find a place to plant them.

"Worst part will be the digging," she said. "Anyone find any shovels yesterday?"

"I think I saw a few by the smithy, but I'm not sure how sturdy they are," remarked Kohta.

"We'll check 'em out. Oh, one other thing," he said, getting everyone's attention. "Sooner or later we're going to drive into the nearest town to raid it for supplies. I want everyone to think about what they'll need and keep a list handy. I don't want to make these raids a frequently recurring thing. Might bring unwanted attention here."

"Well we need lots of blankets and maybe some futons if we can," said Shizuka, pinning some shirts to the clothesline. "And food, obviously."

"Any medicine?"

She shook her head. "Vitamins mostly, nothing else really _needed_ until someone gets hurt."

Comforting thought that. Takashi made a mental note to get some general antibiotics and painkillers when they went. Bandages too, they might have to rely more readily on the bodies natural ability to recover from injury.

Shizuka blinked as a thought occurred to her. "Oh that reminds me, has anyone seen Rika-chan?"

* * *

An early morning stretch and some light exercises was a fundamental part of Rika Minami's morning, keeping her body limber and her mind clear. In a world that had gone to Hell, this sense of routine help to keep her grounded. Even if these days, it just left her feeling more tired than energized and ready to start the day. But, it was good to keep in shape regardless.

She'd just finished her routine and was about to rejoin the others for a light breakfast when she'd passed by the building where the little ones were staying. Previously a typical household of the castle, it had some makeshift beds that Alice and Saito had taken too immediately. She spotted Saito's bright blue backpack on the ground, unzipped and half open, its contents scattered on the floor. The group photo from the springs brought a smile to her lips.

"Nice eye, Saito-kun," she murmured, admiring the image. A happy family, all gathered together. Only the photographer himself was absent from the image. Even little Zeke was there.

Curious, she picked up the next photo, which showed Shizuka asleep on her futon, half spilling out of her yukata and looking luxuriously sensual.

"Ooh, very good eye," Rika said with a smirk. "Boys grow up so fast these da-..."

Then she spotted something else, and Rika reached down to brush another photo out of the way. It was a crayon drawing. Half buried under the photographs. She brushed them aside to get a better look.

The caricature of a boy was easy enough to recognize, the hair and clothes were Saito's. Judging by the pigtails on the figure to its left, it must've been a sister of his. And the taller one was probably a parent, likely the mother. She looked a little like Shizuka, actually, with wavy blonde hair. It almost looked tranquil, but it was covered in black scribbles over the latter two.

Especially the eyes.

There were more too, and she quickly brushed the picture aside and pulled out another. This one was worse. It showed the same woman with a set of teeth that looked more at home on a rabid wolverine. Red crayon marks scarred the paper all over. A drawing beside that, showed another individual, a man with spiky blue hair and red eyes, dressed in a suit, but with only one stick-figure arm. The other lying beside him on the pale canvas.

More images. Some of children, some of monsters that only looked like children. The story put together made Rika feel ill, her stomach churning with nausea.

"Aahh!"

Her head snapped up as a tiny figure came barreling at her, and Rika fell back, years of military training fleeing her as she was tackled to the ground by an infant barely even a third of her age and half her size. Saito wailed, eyes wide and fearful, as he grabbed at the drawings. Rika had enough sense left to pull them out of reach. Tiny fists pounded onto her unprotected chest, and she winced at some of the force being used, surprised by his strength. Releasing the images, which fluttered all over the ground, she grabbed at Saito's wrists, trying to restrain him without hurting him. When he tried to twist away, she grabbed him and held him close in her arms, pinning his arms at his sides.

He was crying now, tears streaking his cheeks. Rika's discovery of his secret had brought it to the fore of his mind, and he couldn't cope.

"Aahh!" he wailed, more weakly now, struggling in her hard grip. All she could do was hold him. The fight drained out of his struggling limbs, and the poor, lost, mute little boy collapsed against her, crying. Rika just held him close in her embrace.

"I'm sorry, Saito-kun," she whispered, stroking his head. "I'm so sorry for what you've been through. But I swear on my _life_, you will _never_ have to go through it again."

* * *

Shizuka found the two of them just like that a little while later. Rika showed her what she found, and for a while, it looked like poor little Saito might suffocate from the loving comfort both women tried to bestow upon him. But before too long he broke free and scampered off into the castle, vanishing from sight.

Rika watched him go forlornly. "Poor thing. He's been through so much. It's no wonder he won't speak."

"Better give him some space for now," said Shizuka, tidying up the boy's backpack, putting everything away. "We don't want to push him."

"Yeah, you're probably right. So, how are things looking with the library?"

Most of their focus being on defense and digestion, Saya and Shizuka had set aside one of the buildings of the castle to serve as a library of sorts, storing any and all books they had there. Since they may well have been the very last remnants of society, they felt it was their duty to preserve as much knowledge of the old world as possible. Currently, they were performing a catalog, trying to organize them.

"Pretty good," Shizuka replied. "We're just about done, but Saya said she wanted to finish up planting the garden as soon as possible, so we can grow food quicker."

"I should probably go help then," said Rika, slipping to her feet. However, gentle hands caught the back of her jacket's sleeve before she could go.

"Rika?"

The purple-haired woman glanced back at Shizuka.

"I know this may not be the best time, but I got this for you," said Shizuka, pressing the box into Rika's hands. "Well, Takashi got it for me, for you. And I really think you should take it."

The purple-haired sniper raised an eyebrow at the box's title. "Pregnancy Test? You don't think..."

The blonde nurse nodded. "You've been getting sick a lot in the morning, you're tired a lot, and unless I miss my guess, you're late for your period as well."

Rika blinked, realizing she hadn't even thought about it. "Yes, how-?"

"It may be something else," Shizuka interrupted gently. "But I really think this is it, and I want to be sure. Please take it?"

"Alright," said Rika with a grimace, not anxious to find out if her friend was right. But, she hadn't survived this long by shutting her eyes to the truth. She stuffed the box into her pocket.

* * *

Page after page turned as Saya leafed through the book. Nearby, Kohta and Takashi, along with little Alice, were digging up the soil of the garden, clearing the grass and leaving the raw dirt behind.

"Okay that should do it," she said, after they'd finished. "Let's plant the seeds."

Digging the holes with her fingertips, she set a single seed in each hole, careful not to bury them too deep as she softly scooped up dirt in her hand, patting it down atop of each hole. She added some sticks they'd collected as markers, making sure _those_ were buried deep enough they wouldn't be dislodged easily.

"Now what?" asked Takashi.

"Well the book says depending on climate and soil, these seeds should become seedlings in a month or so. We need to ensure they get at least eight hours of sunlight each day, if we can."

Takashi nodded and stretched out his back, grateful to be done, as Saya tried to dust off her dirty hands on her jeans. Kohta held out a bottle of water for her.

"Here you g-go!" he said, stumbling over the edge of the garden, and sloshed some water all over Saya's coat.

"Baka, put the lid back on!"

"S-sorry!" Kohta said, twisting the cap back onto the bottle, then handing it to Saya gain. Fuming, she untwisted it herself and swallowed a gulp, then poured a little on her hands to wash them. Her coat would dry soon enough; it was designed for rain after all.

"Hey you should save that," said Kohta. "We don't have much and the well water is clean enough to wash with."

She glared at him. "We'll just refill the bottles," she replied. "Boil the water, refill, and put them somewhere out of the way. Here, go get started with this one," Saya added, tossing him the now empty bottle. Kohta fumbled and caught it.

"Uhm, okay Saya, sure. Right away."

Kohta shuffled off, Takashi watching from the sidelines. Those two were still an oddity to him, fighting and shouting one minute, well, Saya at least, then kissing and cuddling later when they thought no one was watching. It didn't quite seem healthy, but they seemed happy, so really, who was he to judge? He tossed his shovel over his shoulder and made his way back to the smithy to put it away with the other tools they'd found.

Tools they'd probably be putting to use a lot more in the days to come.

* * *

Unfortunately, once they'd finished, all they could really do at this point was wait.

This was the real war, with no more enemies left to fight and no more running to do, boredom was their foe. Boredom and isolation. Sure, they were a family, and between the eight of them were of sufficiently varied talent and skill that they covered just about everything needed for some entertaining stories. But still, there was only so many times Rika could impress you with a well-placed crossbow bolt through a tin can, or Rei could tell you about this movie she'd seen before Z-Day. Half the time they had to make things up to keep it from being boring.

And unfortunately, that wasn't the worst of it.

Rika had brought them all together to tell them what she'd discovered. Saito had sat morosely in the middle of their gathering but offered no protest as the former SAT sniper told them exactly what she'd uncovered. She even showed them the pictures, after asking Alice to step outside to get some water. Saito went with her.

But this revelation didn't help matters, if anything it made it worse. It confirmed Shizuka's diagnosis about the problem being psychological, but none of them were trained in how to deal with mental problems. There was no way to help Saito.

Saeko in particular felt troubled by this revelation, and retreated from talks as soon as she politely could. She could feel her own madness taking hold again. Her fingers twitched, and her hip felt naked without her sword resting on it. She'd left in the training hall, she only used it to train, but it felt... wrong... to walk around without her weapon. So she retreated to the training hall and picked it up, gently, reverently, easing the sword out of its sheath. Her eyes, calm as pools of water, gazed back at her.

She needed some structure. Some discipline. She needed to meditate. She needed...

... _some fun_, Shinigami whispered in the back of her mind.

The blade twisted in her hand, tip pointing upwards. Where the steel folded, the eyes appeared different, one side kind and warm, the other side malicious... hungry.

Saeko breathed in and out slowly. She thought coming here, away from all the violence, would clear her mind. But if anything, her other self was getting restless. She needed to stay calm. She needed to keep busy. Her katana was in her hands moments later, and she swung it through the air, going through the motions of a kata.

"I can't do this to them," she murmured as her sword flowed gracefully through the air. "Not to Takashi. Need to keep it together. They have enough to worry about right now."

* * *

A day passed, and then another. And the inhabitants of the Sanchurakai castle continued their daily routine: breakfast, lunch, dinner, waking, sleeping, and boredom.

Not that they had a shortage of tasks to accomplish, but without the looming threat of death, many of them were taking it much, much more relaxed than usual. And Takashi was fine with this. They deserved some peace and quiet. Some downtime. Frankly, the one who worried him most was probably Kohta. Convinced he was useless without undead heads to blow off, he was throwing himself whole-heartedly into a number of things.

Starting with his home, the one he shared with Saya. To be fair, it was rather nicely designed, very aesthetically pleasing. White tiled roof, wide rooms, a little low on the ceilings but nowhere near low enough that they were at risk of bumping their heads. It was, in a word, cozy. It even had a fence of its own. But, it had its share of faults. The floorboards in front were warped by rain and weather, and were coming up in places, and light kept pouring in through the windows because they faced east.

It had been meekly suggested that they might want to find somewhere better to live.

Saya, however, was adamant about staying there. It was the nicest looking home, farthest from the gates, closest to the garden. She had standards and she wasn't compromising them. She was staying. So, Kohta was currently working on fixing some of its problems, covering the windows with drapes, fixing the floorboards with nails. He was in the midst of the later when they had guests.

Rei and Takashi paused there on their way back from the well to check on Saya and Kohta, the former of whom greeted them, stepping down off the porch.

Unfortunately, Saya's pants leg caught on a loose nail that Kohta had not yet finished nailing down all the way. When she heard the ripping noise, she glanced back, but she moved so quickly her leg caught, and she stumbled backwards and landed flat on her butt, ripping her pants leg all the way up to her knee.

Kohta was at her side at an instant, nails and hammer dropped as he turned to make sure she was okay. "Saya, are you-?"

She glared up at him as he saw her ripped pants.

"This... is why... we can't... Have... _Nice_... **_THINGS_**!" Saya roared in his face.

Kohta's face sort of crumpled in on itself as he hunched down, and Saya looked ready to pop a vein, her face was so red. Finally, fuming, she whirled on her heel and stalked off, nearly tripping over her ripped pants leg.

"Gaaargh!" she roared, pissed off. With little bother, she climbed into the house, closed the door, ripped off the pants, and threw them to the ground as Kohta scurried after her, making apologies.

With a sigh, Takashi picked up the ruined jeans and carried them back to his own homestead, Rei following close behind. After a moment of looking through their belongings, he found what he was searching for. A needle and thread. He began to fix the damaged leg of the pants. He really wished he could just junk it and buy another pair, but unfortunately, they had to get used to this sort of thing.

"You sew?" asked Rei, watching in mild awe.

He nodded. "Mom taught me, when I was little. Said I might need to know someday. Been a long time though."

She tugged on the end of the leg to examine his handiwork. "It shows."

He laughed softly and waved her off. Rei vanished with a giggle back to her own personal project: Restoring the fish pond in the far corner of the castle. It seemed like a pointlessly self-indulgent hobby, but in reality, that's exactly why Takashi thought it was a good idea. It was something to keep their minds off of troubling matters like food, defense, and the bleakness of life in general. Plus, if it did work, well, he liked fish as pets just fine.

But he also enjoyed seafood every so often.

Food supplies were neither plentiful nor in serious danger, not just yet. And although they were getting worn by frequent use, all their clothes were warm and comfortable, and largely free of damage. Probably something else they would have to pick up on the future raid Takashi had proposed. Along with maybe some proper furniture, lawn chairs and roll out futons would be ideal. But there wasn't enough of a need yet that they could justify the trip. It would mean gas, and worse, exposure to dangers. Takashi wasn't ready to do that. Right now all they could do was wait. Find their own ways to pass the time.

Which reminded him.

Idly he set down the pants, half finished, and reached into his pocket. There, safe still, was the little black book he'd carried with him since Yokota Air Base. Since it was light out for a few more hours yet, he figured he could get in some work on the memorial he'd been making. Mostly it was just a spare plank of wood Kohta had discarded. Takashi was carving the names in to remember the fallen. So he picked up the pocket knife he was using and began carving the names into the board, syllable by syllable. He worked much slower than usual, double-checking his work to ensure he had the name right before he carved it, really not wanting to start over from scratch.

"Let's see... Hi-sa-shi I-gou... A-sa-mi Na-ka-o-ka..."

This would take longer than he thought, brushing a hand against the board, blowing on it to dispel any lingering dust and chips. But it would be worth it.

He was about to start up again when something small and white drifted down to rest on the wooden board. At first he thought it was dust, or maybe ash from a fire, but then the cold fully washed over him, and he realized it was snow.

It was snowing again. In early fall.

Winter was not going to be pleasant this year.

* * *

The snow continued to fall most of the afternoon and evening, very lightly, but consistently. It was still snowing the next morning, with the stuff clinging to the ground in a thin layer not quite an inch deep. Takashi decided they couldn't put off an excursion for supplies any longer, so he gathered everyone together by the well.

"We should get going before the snow gets too deep, we have no idea how bad this is going to be. If we get snowed in..."

He trailed off, but all of them could envision it. An inglorious end to their journey, freezing to death without food here of all places.

"Who is going?" asked Rika. "Not all of us, surely."

"No, no sense in that. Best to travel light, use the space in the trunk for actual storage. Saya, Saeko, Saito and me. Maybe Rei too, I'm not sure about that yet."

The ginger-haired girl nodded. "My weapon won't be much use unless I can get some space to maneuver."

"Plus I'd rather have you here on defense, your naginata has reach, so you can get someone over a barricade. It's a good defensive weapon."

"I'll stay here then," she said. "Finish cleaning the pond."

Takashi nodded as another thought occurred to him. "Oh yes, Shizuka as well since we're taking the truck. Which reminds me of something else. Shizuka-sensei, I'd like to try driving myself, if that's alright?"

"Sure thing," she replied. "Have you ever tried before?"

"Not stick," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "Hopefully you can give me some pointers."

Kohta chimed in. "Me too. Uh... when you get back, I take it I'm staying here?"

"Right. You and Rika will stay behind at the castle," Takashi explained. "Since both of you favor long-range weapons, you'll be able to deal with threats before they get close. Watch for the truck, if everything is kosher, we'll stop in the parking lot and flash a flashlight three times ONLY. If we flash four or more times, something's wrong, and you should be ready for trouble. If the truck doesn't signal at all... shoot it before it gets up here."

The sniper and the marksman nodded, shouldering their crossbow and rifle respectively.

"How long will you be gone?" asked Alice.

"Two days max," said Takashi. "But even if we're overdue, you shouldn't come looking for us. Stay here, stay safe. Okay?"

The little redhead nodded.

"Okay, let's get our things and get going," said Takashi. "Sooner we go, sooner we're back. Hopefully before the roads get much worse."

* * *

Saeko slipped on her coat as she made her way to the training hall, picking up her sword reverently. She felt a lot better than she had for the past few days, relishing the idea that she would be able to put her weapon to good use. Even if she didn't, she'd be out in the field again, able to keep alert, able to keep active. _This might be ideal_, she mused. _I can let Shinigami come out if there's trouble. She'll be sated, she'll go back to sleep for a while longer. An excursion might be just the ticket._

"Saeko? Come on let's get going!" shouted Saya.

"I'm coming!" she cried out, and leapt, sprinting over a low fence that separated one structure from the next. Unfortunately, she'd put too much force into the move, and not compensated for the slipperiness caused by the snowfall. Saeko slipped, then stumbled hard, landing on one foot at an angle. Pain lanced up her ankle as she bit back a cry, and continued to stumble across the courtyard to where everybody was.

Takashi noticed her limping right away, as Saya paused, halfway into the truck. Saito peered over her from the far back seat, backpack clutched in his hands.

"Saeko, are you okay?"

"Fine, just landed awkward," she said, and gently tested her foot. _Probably just a... ah! Pain, pain, definitely pain_. She gingerly put all her weight on her good foot again. "Or maybe not. Ahhh."

"Here, lean on me," said Rei, supporting the dark-haired girl. Together, they eased Saeko down into a seat beside the stables. Shizuka came over to examine her foot, gingerly pressing her fingers against it this way and that until she found the painful spot.

"It might be sprained," she said. "Doesn't seem like anything's broken. I'll bandage it up but she'll need to rest this foot for at least a day so we can make sure."

Saeko grimaced at the idea, but couldn't come up with a reasonable argument, she was useless to them now. She looked up at Takashi apologetically.

"You'll have to stay behind," he said. "Shizuka-sensei? We really have to go."

The blonde nodded, leaving some final instructions for Saeko to stay off the foot 'or else' and climbed into the truck, starting up the engine. After a few splutters, it revved up, and they were on their way. Kohta and Rika closed the gates behind them. Rei and Saeko could only watch as they closed, the truck vanishing into the falling snowflakes. A pale hand stretched out, as if to catch them, draw them back, and then the gates were closed, and she grasped at empty air and shadows.

* * *

A full day passed.

The loss of half the castles inhabitants was felt by those remaining. The silence was tangible, pressing down on them oppressively. The snow did much the same, leeching the heat from their bodies. They were warm enough in their individual buildings, but the castle itself, the courtyard, the alleyways and gardens, was white and silent as death.

Saeko was in the training hall she'd finished cleaning. She was meditating, practicing her breathing techniques. With her ankle still in bad shape she couldn't practice swordsmanship, and she was feeling antsy and restless. Her blade rested, fully sheathed, on the ground before her as she tried to clear her mind.

Breath in.

Breath out.

Breath in.

Breath out.

_Defeated by your own clumsiness, a new low_, remarked Shinigami. _Honestly, you let the ground defeat you_?

_It'll heal_, Saeko thought back.

_Not soon enough. Come on, this is boring. There has to be something to do!_

Saeko ignored her, focusing on her breathing, a crease appearing in her brow as she focused her concentration to rid herself, momentarily, of her other self.

Breath in.

Breath out.

"Big sis Saeko?"

Icy blue eyes opened, then flicked upwards as Saeko felt her body relax, and saw a short redhead standing in the doorway of the training hall hesitantly.

She smiled. "Hello Alice. What can I do for you?" she asked politely, shifting to stretch her legs. Sitting in the same position for long periods of time made them sore.

Alice started to step inside, then remembered at the last minute to remove her shoes. "Well, I've been thinking lately," the little redhead said. "Big bro Kohta said he still doesn't want me using guns..."

"Very prudent of him," Saeko agreed. "You're far too young for something so dangerous."

"But I thought, maybe... you could teach me... how to use a sword? Like you taught big sis Saya? I can learn with the wooden swords first, means it won't be dangerous, right?"

The swordswoman paused, pondering this new request. A new student. Saya was largely finished with the basics, though there was always more she could learn, and now little Alice too. She might be able to teach all of them. Swords would rapidly become a much needed commodity in a future where ammunition was limited and the enemy otherwise.

"Big sis Saeko?"

The dark-haired woman smiled, and softly bid Alice closer.

"The correct form of address... is sensei," she said, a wicked smirk spreading across her lips. "My new student."

* * *

Glancing left and right, Rika strolled back into the castle with the small object in hand, looking at it for the hundredth time, as if this time it would show a different result than before.

It didn't.

A blue plus sign in the middle of the strip.

Short of an ultra-sound to confirm, this was the surest means she had on hand. It might've been a false positive, but there was no way to be sure. So she was more sure of the opposite being the truth now.

She was pregnant.

Rika sighed. "This is just perfect," she muttered.

"What is?"

The purple-haired woman came to an abrupt stop, barely even realizing where she'd been going. She was actually just short of stepping right on top of the tarp Kohta was currently dragging across the vegetable garden, covering it up. Evidently he'd been checking on Saya's plants. His single eye watching her curiously from behind his glasses.

"Nothing," she replied quickly, hiding the pregnancy test in her pocket. "Important," she continued. "Nothing important. I'll uh, tell you later, okay?"

Kohta shrugged. "Sure," he said, tugging the tarp into place and setting a brick down atop of it to hold it down. It'd been set up to keep the snow off before Saya had left for the raid. No doubt misplaced guilt had compelled Kohta to water the seeds while their primary caretaker was away. Rika sighed and shook her head. It was a shame they couldn't erect a greenhouse over the garden, or maybe some sun lamps for when it stopped snowing. Heck, while she was dreaming, she imagined indoor plumbing and hot running water. Which was yet more technology they couldn't get their hands on. Not all the way out here, not without knowing where to find it or build it themselves. And even if they did, they wouldn't have a clue how to use it.

They were truly down to the most basic, simplest, positively barbaric tools and skills. It might take generations before they could come even close to living like they'd used to. She frowned, feeling distinctly frustrated.

The one-eyed marksman just kept right on talking, seemingly to himself, about future plans. "-take too long. Then we can try planting new vegetables. Carrots, radishes, corn. Maybe even apples some day."

"Probably can't do apples for a while," Rika said. "Apple trees tend to be big I understand, we'd need a lot more room."

"Pity. I like apples."

She put her hands on her hips. "I like apples too. I also like satellite television, and hot water, and hotdogs at a baseba-" she trailed off with a sigh. "I'm sorry."

"No, no you're absolutely," replied Kohta. "Need to remember that world is gone. But we're still here, right?"

"Right. I'm sorry, Hirano-kun, I'm just... frustrated."

"Kohta," he gently corrected her. "And it's okay. We'll... figure this out. Important thing is we're all-"

He glanced up, and she turned, following his gaze. Zeke, previously sitting quietly by the edge of the courtyard, had suddenly hopped onto all four feet and was looking alert.

Kohta made his way to the gates while Rika ran back to her homestead to grab her crossbow. She already knew what he was going to say, but she still smiled when he called out from the gate.

"It's the truck! The truck's coming! They're home!"

* * *

Kohta breathed a sigh of relief as the car signaled from the parking lot before it began a slow ascent up the hill to the gates. He and Rika opened them without trouble, welcoming the rest of their little family into the safety of the castle.

"How'd it go?" asked Rika, as she and Kohta unlocked the trunk and peered inside.

"Made out like _bandits_!" Takashi declared giddily. "Hit a Super Viva Home in the nearby city. Heck we grabbed a ton of stuff I doubt we even need."

"Sweet," she said, hefting up a rake. Saya and Saito were already carrying the food to storage, and Alice was with them moments later.

"I think this calls for an impromptu feast!" declared Kohta, holding up a can of peaches.

Saya whacked the back of his head. "We have no idea when we'll be able to get more. We ration, baka."

"Yes ma'am," he replied meekly, putting the can back.

"But... I guess it is a good time for dinner."

"I'll cook something," said Takashi.

Saya raised an eyebrow. "You sew _and_ cook? Well aren't you just the good little _waifu_," she smirked.

He gave her a wry grin, and made his way to the well for some fresh water, boiling it before he cooked some stew, setting down bowls in the main hall's table. Rei carried over some soda cans, tossing them around, while Alice and Saito laid out the spoons. Moments after the meal was served, they were all seated and ready.

"Itadakimasu!" they declared in one voice, spoons upraised.

They wasted no time digging in, relishing the hot meal. After the past few days of dry rations, canned beans and stale bread, this was better than sitting in an upscale restaurant.

"Five stars, would definitely dine here again," commented Shizuka, eliciting laughs from everyone present.

The meal done, Takashi tapped his spoon against his empty soda can. Not quite as elegant as a crystal goblet, but it served the same purpose. Everyone's eyes riveted onto him.

"Just some quick points before we all hit the hay," he said. "We got a lot of stuff today, including plenty of food, and also lots of blankets. So we should be secure for a while yet. That said, we need to keep an eye on that garden and make sure we get self-sufficient as soon as we can. We got lucky on this raid, no telling when another one is going to turn out badly. The snow's probably going to help us keep safe though, it made getting back here a fair bit of a hassle. And now we've picked up a lot more, so our first priority should probably be to finish the defenses. But obviously that can wait until morning."

"Probably until the snow melts too," said Rei. "We should probably stay focused on keeping warm so nobody catches cold."

"Oh yeah, fair enough. Well then let's make that our priority for now, worry about defenses and garden next. That's all I had, at least."

Finished, Takashi turned the floor over to the others, in case anyone else had an item to bring up to the whole group. As it turned out, Rika did. She stood up and cleared her throat.

"Well, turns out... I'm pregnant," she finished with a sheepish grin.

"That's wonderful!" exclaimed Rei. Instantly the ginger-haired woman was at Rika's side, hugging the older woman. Everyone soon joined in, and only Takashi did not seem to join in the congratulations whole-heartedly. And he shifted even more uncomfortably when Rika noticed and turned her gaze on him inquisitively.

"Uhm, I'm trying to phrase this delicately," he said. "But uh... who's the father?"

"... I don't know," Rika replied honestly. "You could say I'm a hot commodity, but the truth is I just... well let's just say I'm affectionate."

"_And_ a hot commodity," added Shizuka.

"Probably Jimmy's though," Rika added. "He was the last guy I was with. But honestly, whoever it is, it's my kid. And its dad, whoever they are, well, they're not here."

"We'll do all we can to look after your child, Rika," said Takashi solemnly. "We're family now so we'll be theirs too."

She smiled, grateful. "Thank you. All of you. That means a lot to me."

"So... settle on any good names yet?"

* * *

The days and weeks continued to pass, and while not quite ballooning out just yet, Rika Minami did look a little more full-figured around the midsection, and her tight-fitting clothes were starting to fit a lot tighter. Likely she'd been gaining weight for some time and nobody had noticed until the fact had come to light. Shizuka fussed around her so much, the former SAT sergeant came dangerously close to going crazy.

Kohta politely confiscated her crossbow after that.

Fortunately, the snow stopped falling after only a few days, and completely melted about a week later. It still wasn't exactly pleasant, but it was bearable, and it allowed them to get back to work on the garden. Nothing had grown yet, and Saya poured over the books she had on the subject to find the answer.

Things continued slowly. They also continued to set up defenses, blocking the gates from the inside, digging a trench around the walls, even laying down some wires and spikes atop of them to deter living invaders who might try to climb over. It didn't seem likely, but all it would take is one single marauder, one crazed cultist, and their whole community could be taken out in a single night.

"Think this is deep enough?" asked Alice, leaning on the handle of her shovel. Very tired though she was, she refused to rest until they were done, wanting to be useful. Plus her new sensei had told her strengthening her body would prove useful when it came to wielding the sword.

Takashi nodded, wiping the sweat from his hair. "Doesn't need to be more than a foot. It's not meant to trap Them, it's meant to slow Them down and trip them up so they can't congregate around the gates easily."

She nodded, smiling and humming to herself as she went back to work, tossing dirt aside into a wheelbarrow. The fact that it was wet helped a lot in their digging. Later, they'd wheel it into the castle and add it to the vegetable patch, since the more soil they had to work with, the better. They would need to expand at some point, after all.

Rei was by the pond, humming to herself as she watched the hibernating koi. She'd transformed it into a thing of true beauty, scraping away the ice, removing the debris, making sure the water was fresh and the trees pruned. It had taken a while, but it was a labor of love, marred only by the fact that the trees were still leafless and bare.

Saeko's ankle was fully healed, and she was anxious to join in the next excursion, which was being put off for the time being. In the meantime, she was making full use of the dojo again with her kendo training. Most days Alice, Saya, and her newest student Takashi joined her for a few hours, learning the art of the sword.

Shizuka and Rika sat together at the porch of their homestead, watching Alice in the yard playing fetch with Zeke. Even Saito was smiling as he looked up from his perch atop of the fence that surrounded the stables/garage, drawing on a sketch board in green crayon. Everyone was managing to adjust well.

"AAAAUUURRGH!"

_Well, almost everyone_, Takashi amended. Recognizing that cry as a source of frustration and anger rather than fear, Takashi didn't immediately bolt towards it, but slowly stood, stretched out his sore back, and ambled up to the garden where Saya was attacking the ground. Stomping on it angrily as if by sheer force of will she could demand her vegetables grow.

Kohta was already there, trying to placate her. "Saya, it's only been a few weeks-"

"It's been _nine_ weeks, baka! I've counted!" she yelled. "Nine! Weeks! And still nothing is growing! That book promised two months max! This is supposed to be easy! People have been farming for centuries! It's not rocket science!"

"SAYA!"

She whirled on Takashi, who grabbed her shoulders and gave her a good shake. "_Re-lax_," he said as firmly as he could. "We all know you're doing your best. Now let's-"

"My best isn't good enough!" she exclaimed, throwing off his arms. "I need to figure out what I'm missing, it's gnawing at my brain!"

"Maybe they're just not getting enough sunlight?" asked Shizuka tentatively. However, all this did was earn her a full helping of wrathful genius.

"There's no sunlight to give them with all these damn clouds every day. And it's snowing and its cold and the ground probably isn't ideal and furthermore-!" Takashi winced, fully expecting Saya to rant for a good twenty minutes before she ran out of breath. Or broke down. Or someone slapped her. Maybe even him, if his head kept throbbing like this.

Suddenly she gave a squawking sort of noise, choking off herself in mid-sentence. Takashi turned his attention back to her, a little stunned at the odd expression on her face. "What?"

Saya pointed a trembling finger.

Following her gaze, the other castle inhabitants gazed along the many rows of upturned soil that had been until recently a garden in name only. At the farthest end of the patch, the faintest spots of green could be seen in the colorless soil. Tiny little stems were poking up through the dirt. Against all odds, life was blooming in their little field.

"Can I cook, or can't I?" she proclaimed, hands on her hips, grinning like an maniac.

* * *

**Authors Notes:  
**While I was hoping to use a real castle-turned-museum from Japan's history, I'm not familiar enough with the country to make an attempt. This nameless castle (now Sanchurakai) is wholly mine, though based on its real-life counterparts.

Just like I'm not a chemist, or a doctor, I'm also not a botanist. If something wants to call me out on my science, I'm not afraid play the Zombie Apocalypse card. Same with Rika's pregnancy, though she's estimated at being on week five of it. Like most things, it happened during the Yokota Timeskip.

While this may seem like a good place to end the story, there is an epilogue coming that will more thoroughly round it out.


	15. 14 Rebirth

**_XIV – Rebirth_**

"_It is, I believe, that imagination is stronger  
__than knowledge, myth is more potent than history,  
__dreams are more powerful than facts, hope always  
__triumphs over experience, laughter is the cure  
__for grieving, and love is stronger than death_."

- Robert Fulgrum.

* * *

**Sanchurakai Castle  
****0730 hours,  
****Z Day + 363**

Almost one year ago, the world had ended.

Now, nearly twelve months later, the world was still being reborn. In the abandoned cities of steel and glass and concrete, the cities of the Old World, the walking dead were still prevalent predators. But across the globe, small pockets of humanity were continuing to thrive. And so we found the Sanchurakai Castle and its survivors.

A rooster's crowing signaled the beginning of another day.

Takashi Komuro was just starting to rouse when the bird began to cry, and stifled a groan as the dawn's light trickled in through closed shutters. Much as he preferred to sleep in, he was needed, so he reluctantly tugged on his jacket and worked the kinks out of his neck, ambling towards the doorway and slipping outside quietly, bracing himself against the cool morning air. It helped get his blood going, and that in turn would help wake him up quick. Despite it being early summer it was still a bit freezing in the mornings until the sun rose. He closed the door quickly to keep the cold air out of the building, not wanting to bother the others within.

His first destination was the main hall, where the majority of their foods and liquids were stored. Centrally located, it was easy to reach at any time during the day or night, and it made for a nice meeting place whenever they simply had to gather everyone together for something big, which was rare. Takashi grabbed up a half-stale loaf of bread to munch on as he made his rounds, making sure everything was settled and everyone was content, or at least reasonably so. Some were still having trouble adjusting to the new world, and he'd be lying if he'd said he wasn't one of them, but he'd taken it better than most. The young adapted quickly to circumstance, after all.

Not that he was a kid anymore, he mused idly as he reached the well in the middle of the courtyard and pulled up a fresh bucket to wash down the stale bread. At least, not that young of a kid. Idly, he glanced into the water as he set the bucket over a cooking fire to boil away its impurities. His own face reflected back up at him. He was well into the age of eighteen now, only a little taller and a lot more muscular, his hair was still unruly and he couldn't do a thing with it, and his eyes were still bright and piercing as a pair of golden coins. Dark stubble lined his chin despite his efforts to keep clean-shaven. Not an easy thing when most of the blades nearby were either too dull to cut flesh or designed to cleave through it. His hands were covered in calluses from hard work.

Yes, he'd changed. But overall, for the better.

As Takashi finished his drink, a rather plump white hen went strolling past, pausing only to give him a look before continuing on her way. He nodded his head respectfully.

"Morning, Integra," he said politely. "Seras. Pip. Walter. Alexander," he added, as her four tiny chicks scurried past after her. Their father was somewhere around too, he'd made the noise that had woken Takashi, but he wasn't anxious to meet the rooster this morning. They'd named him Alucard for a reason after all. None of the community really cared for the somewhat violent rooster, but they kept him around because they needed him. For more little chickens, eggs, and eventually Christmas dinner. Takashi endured every scratch and peck from the vicious little bird, knowing revenge would taste very sweet indeed when the time came.

As he left the well, he passed by the Wall on the way to the fields, and paused for a moment as he usually did, taking a moment to check out the names. Hisashi Igou, Asami Nakaoka, and many others besides. What had started out as a monument built in the center of the castle's courtyard, it was originally a block of wood with the names carved into it with a knife. But the elements had started to wear it down, and they'd belatedly realized wood hadn't been the best material to choose. So they'd moved the names to the southernmost wall of the castle, which was clear and unobstructed, and carved the names in there. It hadn't been easy, but they'd done it. Now the friends, family and loved ones lost during those troublesome times would be recorded. A lot of them Takashi didn't know personally, but that didn't make a difference. The Wall had been made for a reason, and if he ever forgot what it was, all he had to do was tilt his head up and read the largest word at the very top.

**Remember.**

"We do," he told them, brushing a hand over the carved names for a moment before going back to his rounds.

He made his way towards the garden to see how things were going, suspecting some manner of work would be needed today. Saya had suggested a rotating work schedule, and for a while they'd tried it, but in the end, it fell apart. People wanted to work and people wanted to relax on their own time, and really, no one ever refused an offer to be of use. So the idea was scrapped. Most picked their own projects to work on and stuck to them at their own schedules.

Sometimes the labor did come to disputes. So many varied personalities and backgrounds at the castle meant inevitably people tended to argue a bit. Nothing too violent, of course, given all they'd gone through together. Practicality vs comfort, safety vs protection.

And that was where Takashi's main role was.

He still had absolutely no idea why everyone kept looking to him to settle disputes, but for some reason it worked. When they talked, he listened, and when _he_ talked, _they_ listened. And more often than not, things were sorted, feelings were soothed, feathers were unruffled, and the community got through another day intact and content.

Really, what more could you ask for these days?

"Morning Takashi!"

He lifted his head and smiled as he spotted Rei, already up and watering the vegetable patch.

Rei hadn't changed much over the past few months, except to grow more beautiful. She left her hair down these days, and wore a warm peach-colored kimono and a dark golden obi, both of which she'd acquired from the displays when they'd first claimed the castle. Both were a little darker and much more worn than usual due to frequent use and hard living, but she still wore them like a princess. Some practical shoes covered her feet so she wouldn't track dirt and mud everywhere from the garden.

When they'd started out here, it had taken a while to beat the environment and produce much of anything in their small field. But once they'd figured out how to do it, they'd had fresh produce growing right within arm's reach. Tomatoes had never tasted so sweet and succulent. This year they were expanding the field, adding carrots, cucumbers, wheat, and even corn. Saya was overseeing the efforts personally, though everyone was pitching in. They learned from every harvest, refining their technique in how to water, how to care for the soil, and when and how to harvest their food.

"Morning Rei-hime," said Takashi with a smile, surveying the field. "Looks good. Keep it up and at this rate and we'll be self-sufficient in another year. A salad in every home."

Rei nodded with a wry smile, even as Shizuka came by, sitting down on the fence surrounding the garden.

She'd changed only a little in the past few years, the brightness of her blonde locks faded, mostly brought about by the stress of her work, but she was still as vivacious and kindly as she'd been before Z-Day, and her smile was just as big and bright. She was wearing a tan coat, trimmed with faux fur, and a pair of tight khaki pants. As well as a red scarf knotted on her left arm.

Shizuka was already feeding a tiny little cherub, who was suckling at her massive breast. Nobody batted an eye at the bared flesh, they'd long since gotten very comfortable around one another. Nudity was no longer taboo or frowned upon, just perhaps a little unwelcome, given how cool it got. The tiny baby with the dark hair was Nia, the four-month-old daughter of Rika. She'd been named after a very old friend who'd served with her in the SAT and been a mentor to the officer, back when she'd been just starting in the organization. Rika was a wonderful mother, of course, though the primary duty of caretaker seemed to be shared between both of the older women. Little Nia didn't seem to care, she took comfort with both of them equally. She cried when just about anyone else tried to look after her, except for, surprisingly, Kohta.

Takashi shuddered as he remembered just how messy an affair the birthing had been. Panic had taken on a new meaning when they'd had virtually no idea what to do and less time to do it in. But in the end, everything had turned out well, both mother and daughter were fine, and they'd welcomed the newest member of their family into the world.

Nor was little Nia the only addition to their little community.

Takashi glanced up, but did not spot Saya. Unsurprisingly, she tended to stay home most days now, catching up on her reading while leaving others to care for the garden she'd invested so much in. She was well into her eighth month or so by now, they were all waiting for the other shoe to drop and things to go mad, as they had when Rika gave birth to little Nia. They even had some names picked out.

If it was a boy, as Kohta was hoping, he'd been named Jiseki. Not Jericho, after the handgun. Saya had put her foot down on that. If it was a girl, they'd name her Gail.

Neither Saeko or Rei had yet to show any signs of being pregnant, for which Takashi was just a little bit grateful. He wanted things to settle a bit more before he was ready for a full-fledged family life. Saya had felt the same, but had little choice left in the matter, and had resigned herself to such. Kohta, on the other hand, was taking swimmingly to the idea of being a father. He'd built the crib for Nia shortly after she'd been born, and had just finished preparing something for his own coming son or daughter. Then someone had mentioned it might be twins, and he'd gone off to build a second one.

Speaking of which...

"Well, I can see I'm not needed here. I'm going to find Kohta, I'll see you both around lunch," he said politely, pausing briefly to brush his lips against Rei's cheek, then ambling down towards the far end of the castle and Kohta's homestead. As he did, he passed by the training hall, now formally christened dojo. He caught sight of little Alice going through the motions with her bokken. Saeko had offered to instruct everybody on the use of the sword who wanted it, but in the end, only the little redhead and Takashi himself had joined in studying the art of Busujima Kendo. Saya had been forced to forego her usual practice these days because of her condition, and their usual instructor was... elsewhere... today.

"Having fun?" he asked, pausing mid-step to watch.

"Mhm!" Alice replied, swinging downwards again. "I can't wait for when Busujima-sensei gets back so I can show her how hard I've been working."

He smiled. "Neither can I," he replied, though he was sure the dark-haired woman would be less impressed with his own technique. He'd been slacking the last few days, busy with other projects and interests, to practice his kendo. "Have you seen Kohta?"

"He's at the gates, still working on the crib I think. Did you need him?"

Takashi shook his head. "Just checking on everyone. The others should be home before too much longer."

Alice skipped away to her practice as Takashi wandered around the edge of the castle wall, musing about the rest of their family. They still made regular trips into the nearby cities for supplies, doing their best to alter their destinations so they had no single source. Longer and longer trips had become necessary as the months passed because their former locales had been picked clean by other scavengers, but they had to be conservative with gas, so they only took a trip every few weeks or so. Right now, Rika, Saeko, and Saito were out on such a raid in the truck, heading northeast to a town they found on the map a while back. They weren't due back for another two days or so, but the rest of the community couldn't help but feel their absence.

He raised his eyes skywards at the clouds, idly wondering if it would rain. It did look dark, but not enough that it would mean bad weather and a delay of their return. He was grateful.

Takashi was lowering his gaze when he spotted a flash of color by the flagpole, and realized one of the flags was being raised. A blue flag was rising atop of the pole. Takashi raised an eyebrow at that. Blue meant incoming people. Living people. They'd set up the flag system as a means of warning everyone about trouble because it was quiet and wouldn't attract undo attention unless you were looking for it, and it was easy to spot anywhere inside of the walls. Blue flag meant living people, white flag meant undead, which was easiest to spot at night. They had a number of other colors that meant a variety of things. So far they'd rarely needed to use them, but they wanted to be ready just in case. This was the first time they'd raised the blue flag, however.

"That's new," he muttered, jogging over to the gate.

* * *

Kohta was already there, having just finished raising the flag, and was readying his rifle, making sure it was primed to go.

The bespeckled boy hadn't changed much over the passing months. Still widely regarded as the best shot in the community, he still sported his usual ensemble, dark jeans and jacket, glasses and headband. He'd worn the flak vest so often it seemed more odd to see him without it, and he still had on a pair of glasses to keep his vision sharp. Underneath, over one of his eyes, he had a custom sewn eye patch with a 'Jolly Rogers' print that he'd stolen from a cosplay store. His sideburns were ragged and bushy, but his chin remained stubbornly whisker-free. He was leaner and arguably meaner, but still beloved by the children of the community, and of course by his beautiful wife. Or at least, that's what he confided to Takashi. Few would have guessed as much from her publically berating him nearly every chance she got.

"No firing until I give the word," Takashi reminded him unnecessarily. He was unarmed, but hoped a quick look would tell him what he was up against before he felt the need to take up his club again.

Grabbing some binoculars he climbed up onto the platform alongside Kohta and peered through them in the distance. He could see the group easily enough, and they were definitely heading towards the Sankuchuari. A single covered wagon, drawn by horses. Mostly men, but he caught sight of longer hair that suggested at least one woman, and mostly armed. Mixed weapons, only a few with range. Some archaic, some modern, and more than a few looked improvised. All in all, typical of most survival groups. _And_ marauders for that matter.

"What do you think?" asked Kohta, when Takashi lowered the binoculars, thinking.

A handful of people couldn't take the castle, not with defenders inside. True, they were short Rika and Saeko, but overall they still had many people who could fight and the advantage of high ground. That was if they wanted to cause trouble. But if they were lost and in need of a home, who were they to say no? Takashi needed more information before he could make a choice. One he hoped he wouldn't have to make at all.

"Crossbow," he declared, not taking his gaze off of the incoming group. "Fire a warning shot when they get too close. Then we'll... negotiate."

Kohta nodded, setting his rifle aside in case negotiations went sour, and prepped Rika's crossbow. Takashi grabbed up the improvised megaphone sitting on the platform.

Kohta took his time aiming, using the medieval weapons more modern sight, and with a twang sent the bolt flying. It struck the ground well in front of the horses, giving them a fright, but bringing the whole group to a halt.

"That's far enough!" Takashi shouted, holding up the makeshift megaphone to ensure he was heard. "If you approach any closer you will be considered enemies and shot down where you stand."

He gave them a moment to consider that, seeing how they would react. They seemed to confer for a moment, and he got a better idea of just how many there were, barely half a dozen or so. Including a small child. The others were harder to make out. After a moment, one of them stepped forward, a long-haired woman in a boonie cap and worn garments.

"Is this a safe haven for weary travelers?"

"Maybe! Identify yourself!"

"Call me Alex!" she replied, her voice carrying across the distance. "One of us is injured and we have no supplies left. We can't go on any further!"

"How did you find out about this place?" he shouted back.

"Dumb luck!"

He considered that unlikely, but then again, he doubted he'd be here today if he hadn't had more than his own share of dumb luck from time to time. He shouted back into the megaphone his terms, "You'll have to surrender your weapons if you want to get in, and follow our rules. Or you can still depart peacefully, if that is your choice!"

"And if we decide to stay?" the woman called out again.

"We'll talk about that inside!" he called out.

The survivors huddled in close beside the wagon, obviously discussing the terms he'd laid out for them. Meanwhile, he leaned over to discuss things with Kohta.

"What do you think?" he asked softly.

"I'm game," he said. "If they're raiders they're putting on way too good of a show, bringing along a kid. I'd say they're speaking truthfully."

"I'd say about the same," Takashi replied. "Alright, we-"

"You got a deal!" interrupted the voice of their leader, speaking over the wall again.

Takashi's head popped up as he pondered what to do next. This was a new situation, after all, and he did have to be careful. "How many are there?" he shouted back over the wall.

"Six of us! I'm in charge!" she replied.

Six was a fair bit, and their food was already stretching close to its limit, but at half-rations they could last a while, especially with their raiding team due back from the cities soon. And particularly if some of them were fighters, which was almost invariably the case. They could help in the hunting and the scavenging on future raids.

Plus, he couldn't really turn away survivors. Not if there was a chance it could work out for the better.

"Approach the gates slowly!"

They complied, spurring the horses into movement, as Takashi relayed some instructions to Kohta to run and find Shizuka, since they had mentioned injuries. He hoped he was making the right decision here.

* * *

By the time the gates were being opened Rei had rejoined them, her naginata clean, rust-free, and well cared for. As well as dangerously sharp. She kept it carefully lowered as the survivors filed in through the gates, leaving their wagon outside for the time being at Takashi's request. They tied the horses to some posts in the largely empty stable beside Rika's bike as Takashi got his first good look at the survivors. Kohta went to find Shizuka while he sized them up.

Two girls close to his own age, a dark-skinned man in an arm-sling a few years older, a middle-aged man, an older man with a priest's collar, and a young girl even smaller than Alice. The taller girl, the one whom he'd spoken to earlier, looked like a mix between a military brat and a gangster, with camouflage pants and open shirt, and some bandages wrapped around her breasts to support them, and an ACU boonie hat atop of her head.

"Very grateful for you taking us in like this," she said with a slight American accent. "We didn't really mean to come this far, but then we spotted smoke in the distance, realized you were still alive, and thought we'd check it out."

Takashi winced at the mention of smoke. Saya had warned him that the cooking fires might well draw attention, but they'd had no means to really cover them or diffuse the smoke, and so he'd treated it as a necessary evil. Now it seemed they'd done all but announce themselves to the world. Or at least anyone who passed close enough by. That was something they'd have to fix, and probably soon.

For now, he focused on more immediate problems. Kohta came jogging back to join him. "We're happy to welcome you here," Takashi said, handing the rifle back to Kohta, who kept the muzzle aimed skyward. "If you could just set your things down here though..."

Alex nodded, and started them off. The tall girl was the most heavily armed in the group, and for a few seconds she did nothing but plunk down knife after gun after grenade of all things onto the ground. Even a chipped hatchet found its way into the pile as Kohta took an inventory of the weapons.

"...357 magnum Ruger Blackhawk... combat utility knife... two SIG P226's... M67 hand grenade... hatchet..."

How she fit all of it into her pockets was a mystery.

By contrast, the shorter woman next to her was more conservatively dressed, a pair of denim trousers and a warm coat, with a baseball cap. She handed over a curved kukri blade, still in its sheath.

The middle-aged man who went next was a kindly looking sort, dark hair starting to gray at the edges and dressed warmly in a leather coat. A belt hung from his waist with the tools of a mechanic, identifying his trade before Z-Day. He was unarmed, though he undid the belt and set his tools beside the other weapons, since some of them could have been construed as dangerous.

The injured man came next, struggling with his weapon since his broken arm seemed to be his favored one, though he managed. He was wearing dusty jeans, and also a green t-shirt with "Semper Fidelis" printed on the front in English. Over this and a makeshift sling holding up his arm he wore a leather jacket, as well as some heavy combat boots. Some dog tags dangled from his neck, though there seemed to be more than the two expected. He unholstered the gun strapped to his side, being very careful to move slowly and keep his finger clear of the trigger as he added it to the pile.

"Beretta M9A1," Kohta identified.

Finally they came to the elderly priest and the little girl. Takashi almost let them slip past, not suspecting either had anything dangerous, but the little girl stepped forward and added a pocketknife to the pile. He would've never even thought to check her.

The old man smiled. "Honesty is a virtue, after all," he said, patting the girl on the head. That they were related would not have surprised anyone present. They both had the same dark eyes and delicate features, though hers were untouched and smoothed, while his were wrinkled by age and experience. Where her hair was still dark, his had taken on a white-ish hue and was thinning in a number of places, and his gaze was ever so slightly unfocussed. Possibly he needed glasses or his vision was fading. Her eyes were lowered shyly, not wanting to meet the gaze of so many strangers. He wore a practical buttoned upon shirt with a white collar, and a pair of black slacks, all devoid of color. By contrast, she was wearing a yellow sundress that seemed to glow like the sun.

"Thank you," said Takashi, once everyone seemed to be finished. "We don't intend to keep you prisoner here but you'll understand if we want to take precautions. We've had our share of mishaps since the world ended."

"As have we," said the shorter woman with the baseball cap.

Takashi was about to begin explaining to them about life at the settlement, when another voice interrupted them.

"Uhm, excuse me please?"came Shizuka's soft voice, having finally arrived. "I need to check for injuries."

Takashi beckoned her over, as he did a quick check to ensure the travelers had indeed finished removing their weapons. The last thing he wanted was for one of them to attack their most qualified healer. But to a one, they had complied and were remarkably relaxed, though he though he overheard the wounded man make a remark about 'playing doctor' that made him want to roll his eyes.

Shizuka would also ensure no one here was bitten, not that Takashi considered it likely. Most of the walking dead didn't venture out into the countryside, and even with a fast vehicle, most people would've succumbed to the bite long before they reached the castle. Still, they hadn't survived this long by being reckless.

Meanwhile he figured it best to get started. "I know this isn't exactly a warm welcome but you'll forgive us if we have to be careful," he said. "We do welcome you, however, to the Sanchurakai castle. We'll do our best to shelter you for the foreseeable future, in case you feel you want to move on after a while. But, I'd have to request we keep your weapons for the time being until we're certain we can trust you."

"And my tools?" asked the mechanic.

Takashi shook his head. "You can have this back tomorrow. I think you're going to have a lot of need for them. In the meantime, I think introductions are in order. This is Shizuka Marikawa, formerly a nurse from Tokyo. I'm Takashi Komuro," he said, then pointed out the various other members of his family within view, giving their names. Finished, he turned back to the other group, awaiting their reply. Curiously, it was the shorter girl in the baseball cap who replied, taking off the headgear so she could bow politely, hands clasped before her.

"My name is Misa Kinoshita and my companion is Alexis Yukari Schweiger."

The taller woman gave a jaunty salute. "Nice ta meet ya'll."

"You can call me Tanaka," the middle-aged man said with a polite nod of his head.

"I'm David. Corporal David Peterson," added the young soldier, as Shizuka inspected his arm. "United States Marine Corp."

"I thought the Marines weren't allowed into Japan proper?" asked Kohta.

"Was on vacation with my fiancée when the Apocalypse came about," replied David. "Never could get in touch with my unit, they probably think I'm long dead by now."

"And your... fiancée?" asked Rei, giving a sidelong and meaningful glance at both Misa and Alexis. Both girls shook their heads.

"Dead," said David simply. "The Father here helped perform a burial for her though, that's how we met," he added, indicating the old priest, who stepped forward.

"I am Takeshiro Sato. This is my granddaughter, Komachi," he indicated the little girl clinging to his leg.

"Hi," she said shyly, clinging to the older man like a lifeline.

"Parents?"

The old man shook his head solemnly. Another lost life, another broken family. Even as Takashi welcomed other survivors into the fold he became keenly aware of the fact that so many others had perished, lost to them forever. He felt he should say something, and indeed every eye was on him.

"I know you've endured much... but I'd like to think the worst of it is behind you. You'll be safe here. We should be able to find shelter for everybody. We're a bit low on food supplies at the moment but-"

"Got anything with twin beds?" asked Alex, interrupting.

"... I think so," replied Takashi uncertainly. They didn't actually have many spare beds but they did have the room for such.

Alex looped an arm around Misa. "We'll take a single," she deadpanned.

Rolling her eyes, the other girl stepped forward. "What my colleague is trying to say is, we don't mind bunking up," Misa explained.

Takashi blinked at the odd statement, then, reading Alex's challenging gaze, as well as her arm looped around the smaller girl, he realized she was making a statement about them. They were an item, it seemed, and Alex was pretty much asking, here and now, if that was going to be a problem.

He smiled faintly. "I'm sure we can find a place for you," he said, and relaxed when she smiled, evidently taking his double meaning. After surviving the end of the world, being petty over something like loving the same gender seemed downright stupid. They had bigger concerns. And speaking of those, "Now, as I was saying, our food supplies are low, we don't have a lot to offer at the moment, but we're expecting some of our own to return soon with new stuff. Anything you can add to that in the meantime would be welcome."

"We have a few things, but not a great deal," replied the elder Sato. "Mostly nuts and berries from the countryside. The last farm we found was empty of all save the horses."

"Come on to the main hall, we'll get you settled and talk some more. It's just up this way."

"I'd like to take a closer look at Peterson-san's arm," Shizuka said, guiding the Marine to a sitting position on a nearby fence. "We'll catch up to you shortly."

Kohta began the task of hiding the visitors weapons away while Takashi and Rei led them up the path through the castle to the main hall, where they could settle, get some food, and relax.

* * *

Rei went on ahead to brew some tea, and as a result had it ready and waiting by the time the others arrived. They left Komachi outside in the care of Alice, sensing that conversation might turn to ugly topics. Besides, the former had taken a shine to Zeke, having not seen a dog in many months, let alone one should could play with.

Taking on the role of hostess, Rei made sure everyone was comfortable while Saya waddled in, little Nia cradled protectively in her arms. The little infant was kicking up a fuss but was mercifully keeping quiet for the moment.

The Takagi Heiress hadn't changed much in the last year, saved in the most obvious fashion of carrying a child of her own. At eight months, the petite young woman was ballooning out in most spectacular fashion. But apart from that she was mostly the same. Still shorter than most women her age, with pink locks braided into a practical ponytail down her back. She wore a silver maternity dress over some comfortable pants, the only allowance she made to her wardrobe because of her condition, something she was most profoundly sensitive about. Her wakizashi rested by her knee, within easy reach.

Takashi began to make some gentle inquiries about their own story. He figured it would help put them more at ease instead of just giving them the strict rundown of how things worked at the castle. Once they started, however, he let Saya direct the questions while he just sat back and listened carefully.

"Obviously none of us saw it coming. It all happened so fast," said Misa. Again, she was talking while Alex, whom they all kept deferring to, kept quiet. Takashi made a mental note of that. "Myself and my companion Alexis were on a field trip to Kyoto when the crisis occurred. Same with David and Sakura."

"Sakura?"

"His fiancée," Alex explained.

"When things took a turn for a worse they took refuge in my store," added Tanaka. "I had some locks installed a little while prior to deal with some burglaries in the area. They served us well, and between the five of us we managed to survive alright for a while..."

"But ultimately we ran low on supplies and tried to make a trip north to Misawa as a possible safe haven. That didn't work out so well," explained Misa. "We did get a few things but mostly we had to hoof it down the road, through the wilderness back to civilization. Sakura got bit on the way. Don't even remember what the name of the city was, we just found this church on the outskirts."

"That would be where we came into the story," explained Father Takeshiro. "We too were completely unprepared for the... for the madness that followed in the wake of the initial attacks. I did not know what to think, or what to do. If not for little Komachi, we would not have made it at all. Our church had a bell tower, you see, and the only way up was from a pull cord. If you were up top and pulled up the cord with you, not a soul could reach it."

He paused uncomfortably, fiddling with his collar. "I... I wanted to take in others... but between myself, my son, his wife, and Komachi... we barely fit as it was. There was nothing we could do to save anyone else."

David and Shizuka chose that moment to re-appear, the former having caught the tail end of their conversation. "There was nothing you could do. You did what you had to in order to save your family. Nothing dishonorable about that," he said, sitting down beside the others in his group, a lit cigarette in his hands.

Rei made a face. "I think we'd prefer you did that outside, Peterson-san."

He blinked in surprise, spotted Saya glaring at him as she passed the baby back to Shizuka. David quickly extinguished his cigarette and tossed the end out of the doorway. "Sorry, didn't think about it. Force of habit I guess. I'm trying to quit."

Alex rolled her eyes at that. "You've been trying to quit for months now."

They all laughed at that, even the castle inhabitants. It seemed like a recurring joke with them.

"Anyway," said Misa. "After we laid Sakura to rest we stayed at the church for a while. Things calmed down after the first few weeks or so. It was somewhat secure, but we had more trouble dealing with the living threats than the dead, they broke in one night..."

The old priest gently interrupted. "My son tried to fight them off," he explained. "And my wife tried to save him. But they were hopelessly outmatched."

"I tried to help too," explained David. "But by that point those idiots had made too much noise, we were being over-run by dead heads. Escaping was the only option."

"So you ran away," accused Saya.

His expression didn't waver as he said softly, "Tactical retreat."

Takashi smirked at that.

"We use the tactic a lot," Alex explained, the tall girl shifting in her seat. "When things are looking bad we don't fight honorably to the last man. Or woman. We get out with our skin intact and dignity be damned. That's why we left the church when we had to and made our way into the countryside to get away from it all. Met some other survivors on the way, killed those that tried to kill us, made some friends with others but kept moving on our own."

"Had an interesting time with that too," David remarked.

Now it was Misa's turn to make a face. "That carnival was all your fault."

"Komachi said she wanted to try some cotton candy," he defended himself.

Alex snickered. "And you were fighting off three zombie clowns with a wooden mallet before we came to rescue your sorry-"

Takashi loudly cleared his throat.

"Well, anyway, you seem to have made it here now, more or less intact. I'm really glad for that, actually. It's comforting to know we're not the only ones who survived."

"Or turned into jerks," added Rei.

"Oh yeah, we've had trouble with marauders as well," said Misa. "Part of the reason we had to leave the church. What was it one of them hollered? I'd make good breeding stock?"

The death glare from Alex made more than a few of them shiver. "Something like that," she said in a cold voice.

"Nothing like that happens here," Takashi promised. "We're not... we're still trying to rebuild," he explained. "Trying to figure out what works and how to make it work, but we're not compromising our principles for the future. That sort of future isn't worth living for."

The new group seemed to agree with that. Takeshiro seemed to sum up their thoughts best. "I can see we made a good choice in coming here. We'll do our best to help you build a place for all of us here."

"Have you heard any news of the outside world?" asked Saya. "Last we heard was almost a year ago. Since then we've been almost completely cut off here."

"Probably for the best," said Alex. "It's a real mess out there."

"We've heard a few things," explained Misa. "Nothing is ever too substantial, you understand, but... well, let's see... the Yokota Air Force said that England was probably still good. Right as the Outbreak started they closed their borders, nobody was let in or out. But they might've fallen by now from the inside and we'd never even hear about it."

"Russia is a wasteland," added David. "I saw the maps, the place was nuked to Hell and back. Several times."

"No kill quite like overkill," muttered Saya darkly.

Father Takeshiro spoke up. "They say Italy had mass suicides before they fell too. The Vatican held out longer than most but by now they're probably gone too."

"And that one group we met confirmed that China was overrun by walking dead," said Misa.

"Not surprising given their large population," remarked Saya. "Anything about the rest of Japan?"

They shook their heads. "We hear rumors that the Chrysanthium Bloodline may still be in existence," said Misa. "But its influence is lost. The government has collapsed and most of the military is fractured into small groups trying to hold their bases. There's no more collective unity."

"It's even worse back home from what I've heard," added David. "The United States split hard over politics when the President died. Apparently the New Confederacy is doing fairly well to hold off zombies, but the northern states aren't managing nearly so good. Oh, and speaking of split borders, there was information coming in from Korea, just before the broadcasts stopped," added David. "Apparently the Kim family are all dead, the North fled into the South for protection so the reunified Korea could repel all comers from their mutual borders. They finally came together... all it took was the end of the world."

Takashi smirked, never thinking he'd see the day. Then again, things could have been very different.

"Sounds like Antarctica is the only continent truly untouched by this," remarked Shizuka thoughtfully.

"We're not flying south for the winter," Takashi declared, earning some chuckles from everyone. Then, more seriously, added, "There's no sense delving into what could have been. What is, is. And that includes you all making it here. Consider this your new home."

He got agreements of variable enthusiasm all around.

"We're not going to force you to work but any help you can give is welcome. Especially with the garden and the raids. We'll need to expand a bit outside the walls, and that's going to be toughest because it can't be defended very well."

"I'll take a look at things in the morning, if that's alright with you," said Tanaka. "But the foundations seem solid enough to work with."

"I barely know hammer from a hacksaw," replied Alex. "But if all you need is another strong back, you've got it."

"I'm not so good with that sort of thing. But maybe I can..." Misa said, then briefly paused, stifling a yawn with her hand politely. "... help too. Goodness, excuse me. I must be more worn out than I thought."

"It's also getting late," remarked Shizuka. Idly Takashi leaned back, looking out the window. It was starting to get dark. The setting sun wasn't quite completely gone, but it would be soon.

"We'll break up here for now then," said Takashi. "Let you all get some rest."

"We tend to sleep early and get up even earlier," Rei explained. "But you take whatever time you need to settle in tomorrow."

"Thank you. Thank you very much," said Misa, rising and bowing formally. She slipped out quietly, and Takeshiro followed soon afterwards to go find his granddaughter. Most of the others excused themselves after that, making their way to their individual homes to bed down before it got too dark out. Of them all, only Alex lingered by the fire.

"I think I'll stay up a bit, if you don't mind Komuro-san. Or is it, my lord?" she asked with a hint of good humor.

He smiled wearily. "I'm just plain ol' Takashi. Never wanted to be anything else. Good night, Schweiger-san."

"Call me Alex."

* * *

The night passed relatively peacefully.

The new group caused no trouble and gave even less sign this was their intent. But even so, a guard was set. Although Takashi wasn't keen on the idea, Saya insisted. Then promptly passed responsibility of this to Kohta, who spent the majority of the night freezing cold with his AR-10 in arm while his wife enjoyed the warmth and comfort of their home.

But it turned out their fears were baseless, or at the very least could be put off for the time being. Takashi awoke the next day to find that the newcomers were pitching in whole-heartedly with the new community. Alex and Tanaka were helping out in the garden, while he spotted Saya and Misa going over some new books. A weary Kohta was chatting with an animated David by the gates about setting up a more permanent kind of watch while Shizuka was telling Father Sato about their friends in the field. He even spotted Alice and Komachi playing fetch with Zeke. All in all, they'd settled in practically overnight. Then again, after the End had come, you tended to adapt quickly to circumstances. They had all been through Hell, and were welcoming a chance at rest.

"Good morning, Komuro-san."

He glanced up as he approached the garden, seeing the middle-aged man calling out his name in greeting. It took him only a moment for Takashi to remember his. Tanaka, the store owner and mechanic from Kyoto. As promised, Takashi was returning the man's tool belt, and it now rested around his waist.

"Good day Tanaka-san. I was hoping to find you. I understand you're a mechanic?"

"I worked on motorcycles back in the day, before I set up shop in Kyoto. These days I just prefer 'all-purpose tinkerer'," he explained, smiling brightly.

Takashi found himself warming up to the older man, he reminded him a lot of his uncle before he'd passed away. "Well we've a lot here that could use the hand of a good 'tinkerer' on it. Not least of which the truck, when it gets back. But before that, I was wondering if you'd take a look at something for me."

"Lead on, Takashi-san," he intoned respectfully.

Takashi led him around the northeastern side of the castle, to an isolated part of the structure that looked newly constructed. Obviously not a part of the castle's historical architecture, this was the more modern bathhouse. Since the castle was isolated in the countryside, its plumbing was self-contained, and continued to work reasonably well.

Getting clean water in the castle wasn't a problem with the well, the trick was running water. Preferably hot. All they had now was barely tepid at best, so they either had to endure stinky and grimy inhabitants or deal with cold showers in an already chilly environment. Though in recent months they'd managed to at least heat up some baths with an elevated barrel and some firewood, but more than a few were worried about how dangerous that could be.

All this he explained to Tanaka as the older man begin tinkering with the pipes, rapping his wrench against a few to get an idea of how it was set up.

"Well, its old, how long has it been broken?" asked Tanaka.

"Running water is no problem but we can't seem to get anything hot anymore. Been like that for almost a month now."

"Probably boiler fed," he muttered. "Heated by electricity then fed here, you just ran out. Is this place fed by generators?"

"We found those shortly after we got here," Takashi confirmed. "Everything was designed to be self-contained because we're out in the middle of nowhere. They'd broken down but I thought we'd gotten everything working again."

"I'll need to look around back and see what I can do."

"Anything you can do would be welcome," Takashi replied. "Obviously we can keep clean and drinking is no problem with the well, but hot water would be kinda nice too, right?"

"Tell me about it," said Tanaka with a smile. "Can't remember the last time I had a warm bath. Not my area of expertise but I'll take a look."

"Thank you."

He left the tinkerer to his work as Takashi stepped back into the castle and made his way down to the courtyard, interested in seeing if the others were doing as well settling in. Plus he was hoping for a word with the elder Sato. He'd been thinking about this particular topic a lot recently and he hoped the wisdom of an older generation would help guide him. Plus, the man was a priest. Not Shinto, it seemed, but Takashi was hardly in a position to be picky...

His thoughts trailed off as his eyes grazed the skyline, now free of dark clouds and relatively brighter, if still somewhat overcast. Another flag had been raised by the watchtower.

It was white.

Takashi's eyes widened, and he took off towards the gates as fast as he could.

* * *

Kohta was already there, and David as well, the latter of whom was keeping watch through his binoculars while Kohta was priming his rifle. Saya came jogging awkwardly right behind him a few moments later.

"This is turning out to be quite an eventful week," he muttered. "How far away is it? Will it be here soon?"

David took another look through the binoculars. "It's not very fast, say... an hour it'll reach the gate."

The one-eyed marksman nodded. "I can take it down from here," he added, reaching for his rifle. Saya tugged it out of his reach, shaking her head.

"Don't waste the bullet," added Takashi, sensing her meaning. "We'll let it get closer then bash its brain in."

It had been a while since they'd last seen a zombie make it this far out into the countryside, and the entire castle was in an uproar as preparations were made. Takashi jogged past the Sato's temporary quarters to find Rei and Alice, the former of whom was trying to convince the latter to remain behind, let her bigger siblings deal with it.

"Where-?" he started to ask, but Rei already beat him to it, naginata tucked under her arm as she offered him his kanbo. He snatched it up, pivoting on his heel. She followed close behind. They didn't get far before Alice called out to him.

"I'm coming too," proclaimed the little girl, bokken in hand.

"No way," he replied, not even looking back. "Way too dangerous, I don't want you getting hurt."

"I can help," protested Alice, clinging to her wooden sword tightly.

He stopped, shaking his head his head. "Stay here," he said firmly. Then, as an afterthought, added, "Father, can you watch over them?" to the elder Sato, who was standing nearby with his granddaughter.

The old priest nodded.

Takashi turned back to the little redheaded girl, who still looked rebellious. "He'll watch over you," he explained. "But I need _you_ to watch over _them_. They're non-combatants. Alright?"

That seemed to work. Alice took the idea of being a protector much better than being pushed aside like a little kid. She gave a firm nod and moved closer to the Satos to protect them. Takashi jogged back to the gate, iron club in hand. By now Alex and Misa had joined them, the former protesting that they should be allowed their weapons back if they were coming under attack, and the latter reminding her they were perfectly safe here and should leave things to Takashi and his group. The shorter girl seemed to be winning their argument, however. Grateful not to have to address a mutiny during a crisis, however small, Takashi plucked the binoculars from David's hands and gave a look out for their enemy, wondering if they'd grown in number since the last time he looked.

He steeled himself and took another look through the binoculars, first with a wide sweep to ensure the undead monstrosity was alone, then focusing in on their sole attacker. As it came closer, Takashi could see just how badly rotted it was, parts of its skull were clearly visible along the sides of its head, and its limbs were withered and thin, as if from starvation. Evidently it hadn't eaten in a long while.

"Alex-san, Misa-san," he said softly, not wanting to unduly draw attention to himself. "Can I have the two of you open the gate for me when it gets closer?"

They nodded, taking up positions on either side, as Takashi hopped off the platform and gave a swing of his club, limbering up. It was getting close to the gate, Kohta gave the signal for Takashi to get ready. The marksman had just given the signal when suddenly he stopped. "Wait... something's wrong."

_That was an understatement_, Takashi thought as he climbed back up to get a view over the wall.

Still shuffling towards the gate, the undead creature did a most curious jerk, stumbled, and fell to one knee. It looked about ready to climb back up again but, seemingly struggling with its own weight, collapsed at an awkward angle on the ground. Then it just sort of... flopped about helplessly.

David and Kohta exchanged a wordless glance.

Alex, on the other hand, could not contain herself. "The fuck happened?"

"Decay must've set in," remarked Saya, peering down over the wall at the corpse. As she watched with morbid interest, its movements became more and more slow. "Its muscles have literally rotted away to nothing, it can't even support its own weight."

"So it's harmless now, right?" asked Misa, still standing by the gate.

"Better make sure it's dead anyway," said Takashi. "Crack its head, then drag it-... no, on second thought, see if you can get some rope, we'll drag it with the horses then crush its head. No sense making a mess here, after all."

"Good call," remarked Saya. "I'll guide it somewhere it can decay safely."

"Misa-san, can you let the others know it's safe?" asked Takashi. She nodded, taking off to tell the others while Saya caught Alex.

"Do you know how to ride?" Saya asked.

"_Do I_?" she exclaimed with a grin. They moved to get the horses ready. The remaining survivors peered over the wall at the corpse.

"Well that was fantastically lame," remarked Kohta.

"I think I prefer 'em that way," added David, tugging his pack of cigarettes out of his front pocket. He offered one to the marksman. "Smoke?"

* * *

Clean-up and disposal of the decaying corpse was unpleasant but ultimately easier than the majority of zombie killings they'd had to go through over the past year, for either team. They dragged the corpse away, crushed its head and left it to rot in peace far away from the community, where it wouldn't draw scavengers or disease.

The rest of the day passed in relative peace, and it was only when the sun was starting to dip on the horizon, painting the skyline a warm reddish hue, that there came a honking horn from the parking lot, and another flag went up. Fortunately, the green flag was a welcome sight. It meant the return of their people, safe and sound. As well as a signal to them that everything was well and good inside of the castle.

The past day or so had been quiet in the castle as everyone settled in, taking stock of their situations. The newcomers learned what they had to live with now, and the older inhabitants of the castle were learning more about them. Now that the truck was back, everyone's attention was gathered round to see what treasures had been plundered. Maybe not gold, jewels and fine clothes, but food, blankets and fresh water were far more valuable in this day and age.

In the midst of it all, Takashi was looking for a single person, and finally spotted Saeko emerging from the back, lightly jumping down to meet with him.

The swordswoman was in a dark blue t-shirt, black miniskirt, and a pair of high-heel boots. A pair of heavy gray stockings kept her legs warm, and over the rest was thrown a heavy black trench coat to ward off the chill, and more importantly, conceal her weapons from sight. Her raven tresses were still cropped short in a pixie style to ensure attackers could not grasp it for use against her. And as always, she had her Muramata Katana within easy reach. She never let it get very far from her side. The only reason she did not take it with her to sleep with her any longer was because she shared her mattress with Takashi and Rei.

One glance at her eyes told Takashi all he needed to know. Shinigami was evidently 'sleeping,' it was Saeko behind the sapphire orbs he loved so much. Over the years, he'd learned to read them easily enough to know which one was which and when they were dominant.

"It's good to see you back, Saeko," he said softly as she drew closer.

"Indeed. I have missed you," she intoned respectfully, dipping her head to him in a gesture of respect. Takashi smiled, leaning forward and kissing her cheek, causing her to blush and murmur something about inappropriate public displays. But he knew she secretly enjoyed them.

Alex and Misa had come down to help unpack the truck, and Tanaka was coming with them, evidently to see about the mechanics problem Takashi had mentioned. Saeko's gaze flicked up over the newcomers, memorizing faces and studying their postures. She could tell almost at a glance which ones were fighters and which ones weren't. The better to know which ones to engage if they would turn on the community.

"They're good," Takashi said, vouching for the newcomers. "They've had a rough time of it, I'll tell you the details later."

She nodded, relaxing a little.

"Any trouble out there?" he asked, even as Saeko and he side-stepped little Saito, carrying some plastic cartons past.

Saeko, or more precisely, her Shinigami self, was restless if she stayed too long in the relative peace of the Sankuchuari Community. So she often led expeditions to and from the cities surrounding the mountain to get supplies. Never the same one twice, however, and rarely the same route. They did not want anyone, living or dead, to follow them back to the castle. So far it had worked out well. The few times they'd encountered marauders or zombies, Saeko and those in her team had cut them down, added their possessions to their own, and returned to the castle. Close calls like that always made Takashi worry.

She shook her head at his question, filling him with relief.

"None. We did not even see many of Them. A quick and routine trip to several stores to get what we needed, and then a roundabout trip back. We only delayed thanks to a tire blowout. We had a spare of course but we will need to look for another when we venture out again."

He smiled, that certainly explained her delay. "If that's the worst of it then I'm content," he replied. "In fact, one of the newcomers is a mechanic, maybe he can help."

"A mechanic?" she blinked in surprise. "Do tell." She listened very attentively as he described the arrival yesterday of the survivors from Kyoto. He then in turn listened as she gave her report on their encounters at a library and a pharmacy, running into no one living the entire time.

"Just when I think there may be more out there...," he lamented. "And the dead?"

"Still dead," she replied with a ghost of a smile on her lips. "They are decaying, but slowly. It is making them weaker and slower. But they are still hungry. And still very dangerous."

He nodded solemnly at that. "We saw one of those ourselves. It's almost encouraging, really. Anyway you go on and rest, I'll take care of things here."

"I think I'll go meet the newcomers," she intoned softly, making her way towards the main dwelling. Smiling, Takashi resisted the urge to follow, knowing he had to help Saito and the others unpack. Rika would've helped too, but he waved her off, letting her get back to her baby girl. Forming a bond with her mother was much more important.

They'd unloaded a lot of foodstuffs already, mostly canned, as well as plenty of warm clothes to go around, and lots of books as well. Looks like the library raid had been successful. Takashi idly pulled out the topmost book of one of the boxes, turning it over to read the cover.

"Sun Tzu's The Art of War," he read. He made a face. "Saya'll like this, but I think I'll stick to classic reading," he said, placing it back in the box and grabbing up one of the manga selections, setting it aside for his own personal reading later. He was just picking up the box when Saito went running past, nearly knocking him over.

"Hey, where're you going?" he asked, shuffling the box in his arms to make it easier to hold.

Saito just pointed into the castle, to where the dojo was set up. "Alice," he said simply.

Not very descriptive, but Takashi didn't seem too surprised. He glanced back at the truck, but it was largely empty. Things were already going more smoothly with more hands to help out. He was carrying one of the last of their newfound possessions.

He sighed. "Oh alright, go on," he said. "Watch out for the new people though. No sense scaring them," he added with a smirk.

Saito laughed, the sound heartwarming. Especially since he hadn't used to laugh. But little by little, slowly but surely, they were making strides in his ability to speak. Three months ago he'd even said a word. Clear as day he'd said "Alice." So far that was all he could manage, though he also took to humming songs on occasion. For now, it was enough, and no one pushed him. He'd heal in his own time at his own rate.

* * *

After finishing the unpacking, sorting things where they needed to go in the castle, having Mr. Tanaka inspect the truck, and overseeing various other things, Takashi found the day had already come to an end. Amazing how time tended to fly when you were busy.

So he washed off, turned in, and spent the night in the arms of his two special ladies.

And so another day of peaceful, if difficult labor, passed. Takashi even got a chance to work on his sword forms with Saeko and Alice for the first time in a while. But before too long the day was winding down and everyone had gathered at the main hall for the evening meal. They tended to take breakfast on the go and lunch whenever they pleased, but the evening meal saw everyone in the community gathering together in one place. It went so perfectly Takashi could not have planned it better himself.

Having again brewed the tea, Rei was making sure everyone was served as Alice and Saito set the places at the low table, and Kohta tended the fireplace. They'd long since finished cooking, but left the fire burning to provide warmth and illumination. Idly Takashi tuned out the various conversations around him, letting it fade to a pleasant background hum as he enjoyed his meal.

"Oh look."

Takashi glanced up as Shizuka pointed to the calendar leaning against the wall. They'd swiped its predecessor from the Firewater Springs, then replaced it with a whiteboard and markers a while back so they could update it. And today was...

_One Year Ago... exactly_.

"Is that the day?" asked Rei.

"Huh, feels like longer..." said David, scratching his head. "A _lot_ longer."

"Goodness... I almost forget what I was doing back then," said Shizuka.

"Working a nine to five job as a school nurse?" teased Rika, cradling little Nia in her arms.

"School?" asked Takeshiro, using some chopsticks to eat his rice.

"Oh yes, I was working at Fujimi High when They started to show up," replied Shizuka. "That's where I met everyone here. Uhm, except Saito-kun of course."

The little boy ducked his head at being mentioned.

"We were just high school kids," added Takashi, sipping his tea, dipping his head to Rei as she served the others. "Hell, sometimes I still wonder how we made it when so many others didn't."

"I took you as... a bit older than that," said Takeshiro. "More like Misa and Alexis."

"Aren't they in high school?"

Alex shook her head. "Graduated a while back, but I couldn't quite get the grades I needed for a good university, so I was studying as a ronin."

"The same," added Misa. "Through no fault of my own. That's where we met, I was tutoring Alexis in mathematics."

Takashi took a meaningful look around. "How things have changed, eh?"

"For the better," Kohta spoke up. An arm looped around Saya, sitting at his side, and for once, the pink-haired woman did not protest the personal contact. She just leaned into him lightly.

"Mmm, I guess they could have been worse," said Saya, thanking Rei as she poured tea into her cup. She added in some herbs that Shizuka had recommended to her to settle her stomach, which was still rebelling against her. "I might've ended up in some stupid political marriage. Or worse, to some complete idiot."

"Wait... so you're not married?" asked David, a little confused. He spent a fair deal of his days with Kohta, who talked the talk better than most full-time Marines he'd known back in the day. He'd assumed, based on how his new friend was acting all the time around the pink-haired pregnant lady, that they were a married couple. Certainly there was ample physical evidence they were... intimate.

"Uhm... not... not so much," said Kohta, still holding onto his beau. "But I love Saya. She's not only beautiful, but she's intelligent, and passionate about everything she does. And she's never afraid to call me a baka when she thinks I could be doing better. She's... she's my angel."

"Awwww," said Alex, holding onto Misa, both girls smiling.

"That's the sweetest thing you've ever said," Saya cooed, her lips curling up into a smile. Then faded moments later. "... and I'm not quite certain if that's endearing or sad."

"I'm... hoping endearing," he replied tentatively.

"... hope is a good thing to have," she said, in such a tone that it was impossible to tell if she serious or not. "Baka," she added a moment later. In an oddly affectionate tone.

"I suppose staying alive takes precedence over such things," Takeshiro remarked. "Especially when you're so young. But I've no right to judge I married young as well. To an older woman, no less. But we had many happy years together, and I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"Technically, none of us are married," said Saeko, glancing sidelong at Takashi.

"Oooh, I get it now," said Alex mischievously, her face twisting into something cat-like and mischievous. "So _that_'s why you agreed to shelter us. You were hoping Father Takeshiro here could perform a ceremony."

Even the elder Sato had to laugh at that, nearly spilling his tea, and Komachi was doing much the same. Everyone quickly joined in at the expense of Takashi and his two wives.

"Ah, no, no of course not! I mean that'd be just silly."

"Completely silly."

"Very silly."

"Not that we'd object to getting married."

"No of course not."

"Do it in a heartbeat."

"If not faster!"

All three of them looked at one another, and blinked.

"So..."

Struck with a sudden impulse and not content to let himself think it through, Takashi took Rei's hand in his, and then Saeko's in his other.

"Father, we _would_ like you to marry us," he said, making sure the older man could see he held onto both Rei and Saeko when he said this. "These two have been my salvation through... impossibly dark times. I don't know what I'd do without them. Please."

Takeshiro Sato may have been advanced in years but his mind was still quick, it did not take a genius to see what had been going on here. Nor was he so old-fashioned and stubborn to deny genuine affection when he saw it. When Alex and Misa had become a couple, to their own surprise as well as the majority of the groups, he'd given his blessing in lieu of their own parents, wanting them simply to be happy. If it had been simply sexual proclivity, he might've been more reluctant, but it did not take a genius to see the two cared for each other. Just as much as the two women here obviously loved their leader.

They had enough problems in the world that they did not need them added to by either his judgment or that of his patron deity. In the short time he'd come to know the others, he'd seen they had great strength, but also a strong sense of humanity. Something truly treasured in such an age as these.

How could he possibly say no to that?

"I'd be honored," he said at last, smiling kindly.

* * *

_The night before the world ended, I stayed up late_, he mused. _Tonight, exactly one year later, I'm doing the same thing all over again_.

It seemed almost fitting, a year later, he sat in the shade of a sakura tree in the renovated garden, watching the petals fall from the sky as the full moon shone down over him. Most of the castle was asleep now, including the newcomers, but Takashi felt restless. He wasn't entirely sure why, but in truth, he didn't really care.

They were still here. Still surviving. Still _alive_.

As he'd finished a round of the castle to check on everybody, his footsteps had guided him back to the garden, and eased him into a comfortable seat on the hillside. The moon was full and bright tonight, making the whole area shine like the middle of the day, albeit a soft bluish hue instead of a warm red. The sakura blossoms were breathtaking, floating through the gentle breeze like a thousand dancing birds. It was beautiful.

He did not need to turn his head to sense Rei sitting down beside him, easing into the position slowly. Saeko joined them a moment later, resting her hand lightly on his shoulder. As if he needed a reminder she was beside him. Her other hand came to rest on Rei's shoulder, providing her welcome support.

Both of his fiancées with him now. Soon to be his wives. The wedding had been delayed for a while, they wanted to get some things on another raid beforehand, not the least of which new dresses. They loved him and he loved them, that had been obvious for ages now, but somehow it felt... more real somehow.

The world had ended in thirty-one days after the Outbreak. Or Z-Day, as some called it. Militaries had crumbled, governments had disbanded, civilizations had collapsed. But from the ashes of the old world, a new one was rising. In tiny communities scattered across the entire Earth, but more importantly to him, in just this one little castle at the base of Mount Fukui. And whatever new kingdoms were rising and falling out there, Takashi and the others intended to do right by the world this time here. Humanity had been given the very rare chance to start over.

They weren't going to screw it up this time.

* * *

**Authors Notes:  
**Obviously, the chickens names are from the Hellsing series, which I figured **Kohta Hirano** would be a fan of.

Nia's name means 'radiance' in Gaelic, and seemed appropriate for a child of the new age. Most common names following a Zombie Apocalypse would probably be named Hope, Faith, or Charity.

It was pointed out to me that Shizuka technically might not be able to provide milk since she wasn't the _actual_ mother of Nia, but I double-checked my on-line research, it _is_ possible for women to lactate based on physical and psychological stimulation, by drugs, or by a combination of those methods. So if for some reason you don't believe it would occur naturally, assume Shizuka was taking pills for it.

Naturally, the family name of the two survivors, Sato, is in loving tribute to Daisuke and Shoji Sato, the creators of Highschool of the Dead manga. I welcome and even encourage the use of my own Original Characters in other people's stories, though I'd like to be made aware of such if you're interested. On that note, credit where credit is due, some of the OCs here are not mine.

Alex and Misa are the property of MarshalZhukov and her 'Simple Kind of Dead' stories, while Mr. Tanaka comes from 'Living with the Dead' by Draco38. All three have been heavily modified to fit into alternate continuity of my story, with permission from their creators.

I definitely think I'm done this time, I've done as much as I can with the characters with what I have to work with. And with the manga and anime seemingly at a standstill (still!) I have to remember the good times and move on.

Special thanks again to James, my beta and sounding board, as well as to Tim and Shannon, my fellow Horsemen of the Dead. They've done a great deal to help shape my work, and aren't too bad themselves with their own stories.


End file.
